Golden Sun: The Mourning Moon
by Knight-Dawn
Summary: A post DD story. Continues the story and the plot lines that were not wrapped up in DD and TLA. The title pretty much tells what this plot will circle around... Or does it? The Mourning Moon isn't their only worry. The Tuaparang, Alex, and even secrets kept among the party are all real problems, too. Could you fight against your own family if it were to save your world?
1. The Letter

**This is a post Dark Dawn story. So of course it will have spoilers. Don't read if you haven't completed Dark Dawn-You won't understand what's going on anyway.**

**Also, this story draws pretty deeply from the original two games as well, but I know that a lot of people have only discovered Golden Sun through Dark Dawn, so I have done my best to explain things in a way that doesn't interrupt the flow of the story.**

_I've started my revision process of this story, to smooth out the rough patches and fix the glaring errors. If this is your first time reading this, bear with me- The plot kind of weaves a bit in the middle, but I still think it's fairly solid... And I am trying to make it better than ever. Give it a chance._**  
**

_Chapter One: The Letter_

Matthew, Karis, and Tyrell, after being corrected by Queen Sveta's guards, headed to the gate of Belinsk. It was hard to imagine tragedy had so recently struck the area, as the people were already back on their feet. Even Tyrell was in high spirits, despite the frustration he'd shown while waiting for Sveta at the castle.

That was before they met up with the rest of their friends who were waiting at the gate for them as well. The looks on their faces, especially Kraden's, told the trio that they were in for some tough news.

"We waited as long as we could," Amiti said. "Though I should really be getting back to Ayuthay."

"And that's why we were here when Kraden got the letter..." Eoleo finished.

"What letter?" Tyrell asked.

"From Isaac," Kraden said, looking at Matthew.

"Dad," Matthew said, quietly.

"Yes. I think it's best if you read it," Kraden said. "I think the others are curious, too."

"Well, the way you were acting as you read it..." Amiti said, a concerned look crossing his face. "If we weren't worried by the way you were constanly hopping about and saying 'my word,' then I don't think anything could worry us."

Kraden turned a pale shade of red. "Well... Erm... Yes. Just read it, Matthew. It's important."

Matthew nodded, taking the letter from Kraden. The others crowded around the young Earth Adept to get a look at the letter.

...

"_Dear Kraden, I hope this letter finds you soon. Are you still traveling with Matthew and the others? I hope so. I have some... bad news._

_A large Psynergy vortex has appeared just outside the cabin, and Garet and I are camping out further down the plateau. I fear the Mourning Moon is nigh upon us, but there's nothing we can do._

_I warn you against coming back at this time. Something strange is happening at Mt. Aleph, too. Be careful if you're traveling in central Angara... And tell Matthew and Tyrell not to worry too much for us dads. We'll be alright. We're Warriors of Vale, after all._

_I wonder... Was that strange light we saw to the east the other night the children's doing? We've heard word of the Eclipse having hit north-central Angara pretty hard. We're all right around the Goma Plateau, since Garet and I were able to protect Patcher's Place and the others nearby. Garet is terribly worried for the kids, even though I promised him I still sense that they are fine. Give them our regards._

_Best, Isaac."_

_..._

Karis looked up from the letter and met Kraden's gaze. "Well. That certainly doesn't sound good."

"We still have to go back," Matthew said. "If Dad thinks just warning us against coming home is going to stop us, he'd dead wrong."

"Maybe that's not the best phrase to be using..." Karis chided him.

"Well, if we're going, we better get going," Tyrell said.

The rest of their party exchanged a look. Finally Himi spoke up. "But your father said it was dangerous. We can't just let you three go off on your own."

Amiti nodded. "The letter says it's going to be dangerous in central Angara... Which is where you'd have to travel to get back home, isn't it?"

"Yeah," Karis said, crossing her arms. "That's true."

"What are you suggesting?" Tyrell asked.

"Well..." Amiti said, "Maybe it would be a good idea to travel together for a bit longer. At least until you're safely home."

"Yeah," Eoleo, Himi, and Sveta said together.

Matthew and Karis shared a glance. "You guys would do that? Eoleo, you and Himi don't even have to pass through the mountains, and Sveta should stay here."

"So?" Sveta asked. "We want to. Do you mind?"

Matthew smiled at her, then looked at Karis, concerned. Karis sighed.

"No," Karis admitted. "I guess not."

"Then it's decided," Amiti beamed. "We'll take you three back to Goma Plateau and then go on to Ayuthay and the rest."

"Yeah," Rief said. "You really need to get back..." He cut himself off, remembering how devastated Amiti had been to discover his Uncle's condition.

Amiti's face darkened. "Yes. Of course. But Uncle promised he'd be alright until I came back, and I have to believe him."

"We better not waste time, then," Kraden said. "We'll pass through Bilibin and Kalay to get back. Sveta, if you're coming you'll have to conceal yourself."

"Of course," She said. "I'll just go get ready now. Eoleo, you might want to tell your crew to look after your ship."

Eoleo smiled uneasily. "Aw, they know. They'd die before letting that ship suffer... It being Dad's and all that. I guess it's mine now, though."

Everyone was quiet for a moment, remembering how Briggs had met his end.

"Anyway," Amiti said. "Best to move along."

The others all nodded, and went their separate ways for the moment.

...

They met back a while later, around mid-day. "We'll be in Border Town my nightfall if we get going now," Sveta said, now wearing a concealing hood.

"And from there it's a short journey to Kalay," Karis finished. "Which is just on the other side of the pass through the mountains."

"You kids must be looking forward to seeing Ivan and Jenna," Kraden grinned.

Matthew nodded, smiling happily.

"Well, the sooner we get going, the sooner we'll see them," Tyrell said.

Amiti smiled at Matthew. "Jenna's your mother, right? And Ivan's Karis's father?"

Matthew and Karis both nodded.

"I'm sure they'll be happy to see you both again as well," Kraden said.

"Hey!" Tyrell pouted.

"Oh," Kraden said. "I suppose they'll want to see you too, even if we could replace you with a pidgeon without anyone noticing the difference."

Tyrell looked down. "Not cool. Dad would notice."

Karis giggled. "Actually, even Garet agrees that you're bird-brained, Tyrell."

Tyrell turned bright red. "Shut up. What, is it dump on Tyrell day or something?"

Karis smirked. "I thought that was every day?"

Amiti and Rief both burst out laughing, though it was unusual for them. Soon Himi, Sveta, and Matthew had to join in. Tyrell turned an even darker shade of red, almost matching his hair. "Okay, okay! I get it! Enough! I'm going on, whether you are or not."

He started walking off, and when the laughter finally quieted, Karis shook her head in amazement. "Wow. He actually didn't explode. Maybe he really is getting more mature."

"I doubt it," Amiti said. "He's probably just taking it out on the wildlife."

The group shared a glance. Amiti's comment seemed to be confirmed by what sounded like a Starburst Psynergy exploding in the distance.

Sveta looked rather cross. "We should go stop him."

"Agreed," Amiti and Karis said, together.

Matthew nodded as well, and they ran off to catch up with the red-headed warrior.

...

**Author:** I couldn't resist the Tyrell thing. I love how everyone keeps making fun of him in Dark Dawn, and decided to chime in myself. I think he's pretty cool, though. Just a little... Bird-brained:)

By the way, this story is going to eventually have the following ships: Stormshipping(Amiti/Karis) and Soulshipping(Matthew/Sveta). It will also have some Truthshipping(Alex/Veriti), or at least that will be part of the story. Also, it pretty much follows Amiti... Because probably the biggest unresolved plot in Dark Dawn concerns him. It has other pairings, too, but it gets pretty complicated from there. The ships aren't the sole focus, since I'm fond of stories that combine adventure and romance.

Thanks for reading! Reviews are always appreciated:)

(And yes, if you're re-reading this now, I have started editing the old chapters even while I'm working on the ending. There are some glaring errors I need to fix and rough spots to smooth out. So... Look forward to the polished version! There will probably wind up being extra scenes, too!)


	2. Border Town Trouble

_Chapter Two: Border Town Trouble_

It was sunset when the party arrived in Border Town, so they decided to stay in an inn for the night. They guessed that they'd want to be fully energized for what was bound to be a trying day. They didn't even know half of it.

The next morning they were up at dawn, bright and early. Tyrell muttered a few complaints under his breath about getting started so early, but when Karis reminded him that the sooner they set out the sooner they'd be home he dropped it. Amiti, Himi, and Eoleo didn't seem too happy to be up at the crack of dawn, either, but it was Sveta who was especially nervous.

"Sveta," Karis said when she saw Sveta twitch her nose and rub her ears for the third time, "You don't have to come with us if it puts you in danger."

To this, Sveta glanced to where the guys were discussing how strange it was that Eoleo couldn't equip a longsword, then back to Karis. She now had a faint smile on her face. "I want to come. It's not an issue. It's time Morgal's borders are opened again, now that... Now that their leader is no longer under dark influences."

Karis looked at her with understanding, and put a hand on the new queen's shoulder. "Volechek would be proud to hear you say that, Sveta."

Sveta sniffed and wiped at the tears that had beaded up in her eyes. "Thanks, Karis."

Amiti happened to glance over in time to see Sveta's tears, and he abandoned the rest of the guys and their conversation to see what was going on with the Wind Adepts.

"Is everything all right?" He asked, genuinely concerned.

Sveta nodded, smiling at the prince. "I just... It's still painful to think about Volechek. I'll be okay."

Amiti nodded, a serious expression on his face. "Yes. I understand. I'm sorry."

Eoleo came over to the three of them then, grinning mischievously as he said,"Are you ladies ready to go, or are you going to keep us waiting all day?"

Karis pouted. "Really. It was you guys who were keeping us waiting with your trite conversation."

Amiti, who had been put off a bit by Eoleo's comment, smirked at Karis's comeback.

"We're ready if you are," Sveta said, fully composed again.

Eoleo nodded, and with a nod towards Matthew the group set off.

The border was still shut off, but Sveta went inside and spoke with the guards for a while and managed to get their group the okay to cross.

"Be careful," One guard warned, however. "You kids might be tough warriors, but that doesn't mean you can't get yourselves into trouble."

"We're not just tough warriors!" Tyrell beamed, "We're the children of the Warriors of Vale!"

"Well, some of us are, anyway," Amiti corrected him.

"Yeah, but the rest of us are important in our own right," Himi said.

"Yeah," Eoleo agreed.

The guards shared a glance. "Regardless, you kids should still be careful over there. Lord McCoy has been acting a bit odd lately. I'd avoid him at all costs."

"Can do," Karis said. "We've heard all about that."

"Okay. We'll just open the gate for you now... But don't advertize this, okay?" The other guard said.

Matthew nodded, and once the gate was opened they went on through. Eoleo and Tyrell high-fived each other, and Karis grinned at Sveta. All the others had smiles on their faces, too. They were officially in Bilibin now, one step further on their way.

"It feels like forever since I've been here..." Karis said, looking around the city, "I was a kid when Dad took me here last."

"It's been many years since I've been here, too," Sveta said, a wistful tone in her voice.

"I've never been here in my lifetime," Amiti said.

"It's not really that great a city," Rief said.

Kraden nodded in agreement. "Bilibin has only become more corrupt than ever in the years since the Golden Sun. We should heed the guards' warning and be away as quickly as possible."

Everyone nodded, and made haste through the crowded city. It was not an easy task. Salesmen dotted the streets, each trying to sell different equipment and items, some so obviously inferior to what the warriors had on them they wondered why the vendors even bothered.

When the heroes passed under the shadow of McCoy palace, they fell silent. Only Sveta dared glance up at the palace from beneath her hood, and she let out a sigh.

"What is it?" Matthew asked.

"I... have a bad feeling about this," Sveta muttered.

Even as she spoke, two guardsmen caught sight of the party where they stood in the middle of the street. One of them pointed towards Sveta—in hindsight, wearing a face-concealing hood _was_ rather suspicious—and they both nodded and started walking toward the party.

Sveta couldn't suppress the low growl that emitted from the back of her throat. Matthew frowned, glancing from Sveta to the guards then back to his friends again. He looked as though he were about to give them the order to run for the far gate and get out of Bilibin city.

However, Sveta caught his arm and forced him to meet her gaze beneath her hood. "No, I think it's long time we settled this conflict. Let me handle this."

And with that, Sveta let go of Matthew's arm and walked right up to meet the guards face-to-face. She held her hands up in a a gesture of peace, smiling at the men and trying to appear as amiable as possible. The soldiers took one look at her and attacked.

Sveta saw it coming and dodged, but her hood fell to her shoulders in the motion. The guards seemed to double their efforts now that it was clear that the Queen of Morgal was their target. The gesture of peace—a show of empty, weaponless hands—hardly meant anything coming from a beastman Adept, after all. She could kill them just by looking at them if she wished to.

But she wasn't trying to. All she wanted was to settle the trouble between Morgal and Bilibin. That was all. But clearly, these stupid people didn't want to listen to her.

"Stop this foolishness!" Sveta shouted, anger glaring in her eyes.

Matthew took a step forward, ready to come to her aid, but she growled and glared at him. Though she didn't speak, her voice was clear to him. _Don't get yourself involved._

Matthew frowned. He wasn't the kind of guy to just sit by and let someone fight it out alone. He took another step forward, followed by his friends, and Sveta frowned at all of them.

The last thing she wanted was for her friends to get involved with her country's problems. She sighed, realizing that it was pointless to stop the rest of the party—they were such good friends, but so stubborn—and jumped back, claiming the high ground on the rocky overhang leading up towards McCoy Palace where it stood proudly atop the high, craggy hill. She looked down at the soldiers, anger and determination lighting up her forest-green eyes.

"Stop and listen to me, if only for a moment," Sveta all-but growled. "I didn't come from Belinsk to start a war with you. I came to help my friends solve a problem that concerns _all of us_, beastmen and humans alike. If we are at war with one another, it will only make this situation worse. My brother—the late king of Morgal, Volechek—he has..."

Sveta's voice faltered momentarily, but she caught herself, taking a deep breath and going on. "My brother, unfortunately, died in the recent events. Yes, it hit Morgal hard, too. Harder, perhaps, than other places—considering that the Eclipse began in Belinsk, after all. Many of my people lost their lives because of it, including my brother."

She stopped talking, and to her surprise the people standing below were silent, listening. Sveta took another breath and stood as tall as she could, smiling down at them—her eyes meeting Matthew's for strength.

"It is long past time for us to put aside our differences, is it not? Time for us to stand together and re-build?"

"Well, the young lady has spirit, I'll give her that."

Everyone's attention snapped to the top of the stairs leading to McCoy palace, where an elder man stood with his gaze fixed on Sveta.

It was obvious that this man was the current Lord McCoy, the son of the late lord that Isaac's party had met up with on their quest. Sveta gazed at him, her ears noticeably twitching in anxiety. Lord McCoy shook his head at her.

"You really think that just marching up to my palace and giving a speech like this will really end the conflicts between our countries?"

Sveta shook her head. "No, but I'm hoping you'd at least be willing to sit down and listen. My friends and I have other duties at the moment that we must deal with... But if you could arrange a meeting with my adviser, I'd appreciate it. In the wake of the Eclipse... In the light of what may yet happen if those responsible have their way... Now is no time to be fighting amongst ourselves."

Lord McCoy frowned at Sveta, his expression stern. She didn't turn her gaze away—rather, she met his eyes with a determined look in her own. Sure, she had never counted on becoming Queen of Morgal—she'd thought her brother would live longer, would marry, have heirs of his own—but now that the position was hers, she wasn't about to cave to anyone.

She knew she was a poor follow-up to Volechek, but she'd hold her own for his sake and for the sake of her people.

Lord McCoy was the first one to look away. "Very well, girl. There is quite a light in your eyes—I'll do as you request. I can't promise that the negotiations will end well, but... I'll speak with your adviser."

Sveta smiled, nodding as she leapt down to rejoin her friends. The guards stepped away as she landed, backing toward the palace. Sveta turned to face Lord McCoy again, her braids whirling about her in the wind.

"And I'd better not hear word of foul-play. Your soldiers attempted to invade once already—we'll be ready if you make any such move again," Sveta said. For extra emphasis, she held up a hand and looked it over, purposefully letting her claws catch the sunlight.

Lord McCoy's face paled slightly, and he nodded. Point taken. Do not get on the bad side of the beastmen. He'd heard nightmarish tales about their combat style already, and did not wish to experience any of it first-hand.

With that, Matthew and his company made their way through the rest of the city and out the far gate. The soldiers let them by with only a glance to Sveta, who kept glaring at them whenever they seemed about to hesitate. Sure, she wasn't as ruthless as her brother had been at times, but they didn't have to know that, did they? If they were a little scared of her, so much the better. She could show them her kind side later, when they agreed to be her ally.

Needless to say, it was only when Bilibin was far behind them that the party let out a joint sigh of relief, as though a shadow had been lifted from them.

Little did they know the shadows that lay ahead were darker than the ones they'd left behind.

...

**Author:** Wow! I'm amazed to have gotten so many reviews for my first chapter! I don't think any story has hit it off so well right away:) Thanks! Since so many of you think I should go with Soulshipping, I guess that's the way I'm gonna go. I do agree, it's the one I preferred anyway:)

Edit 3/22/12: Hey, everybody! K-D here to give you another updated chapter! In the feedback I got for this chapter, a lot of people said it was rather short and lacked significant plot. To be honest, when I first drafted this chapter it had a confrontation with Lord McCoy. Sveta actually got kidnapped and Matt and friends rushed in to save her, and there was heavy emphasis on Soulshipping hints. I couldn't get the scene to work back then, though. And I was very eager to get to other reveals before I went on a short hiatus that I knew I'd be having.

In short, I cut the confrontation and went straight to the next part of the plot _originally_. So, in the updated version, I fixed it up and added it in again. Hope it reads better now, and adds to Sveta's character a bit!

To reply to individual reviews:

**Mystwalker:** ^^Yep. I told you I'd call it Stormshipping after reading your fic! Glad you like mine too!

**VampireNaomi: **Shucks. Thanks for pointing that out. I've been told that before, but I always forget. I'll try and pay attention to that.

**Gravaja Umbros: **Hmm... Yeah. It might just be that first chapters are hard. I hope it improves:)

**FlameUser64: **Aw, but it's so much fun to bash him:) If he were my friend I'd tease him (and he'd probably tease me right back...) But I don't plan on that sort of thing being usual. And Kraden did poke fun at him in the game, too. I'll keep that in mind, though.

**Fried Chicken: **Yep. I do recall Garet getting flamed a lot in game, too:) Guess it's proof that children are revenge, huh? I think Garet got stuck with a son even more hotheaded than he was, though...

**Linkblade1: **Thanks:) It's tricky when there's so many characters to include, but that's one of the things I love about the games. Glad you like it:)


	3. Home, Love, Family

_Chapter Three: Home, Love, Family_

It was only beginning to get dark when they finally came to Kalay. What had once been a big town was now a bustling city, but Matthew and Karis knew the nooks and crannies of Kalay by heart. It was home to them, a home they hadn't been to in a while.

"You know," Rief said, looking at Matthew, "I've been wondering something for a while now."

"What is it?" Karis asked.

"Well..." Rief paused for a moment before continuing, "Why is it that Jenna lives in Kalay and not with Isaac?"

Matthew, Karis, and Tyrell exchanged a look with Kraden. "Is that all?" Kraden asked, smiling at the boy. "Why don't you tell him, Matthew?"

Matthew smiled, "Actually, Rief, it's the other way around. The cabin isn't exactly the best place for Mom, but Dad can't leave it. His work is really, really important to him." He went quiet for a minute after saying that, before continuing, "He visits Kalay, though, when he can. Usually a few times a year."

"Oh," said Rief, "That makes sense. He must be a very dedicated man..."

Tyrell humphed, "Yeah... dedicated. More like obsessed."

"Dad just wants to go back... there," Matthew said, frowning. "Garet's the same way."

Karis nodded, adding, "My Dad, too. That's why he built the Soarwing in the first place."

"Your parents do sound very interesting," Amiti said, a far-off look in his eyes. "I can't wait to meet them after hearing so much about them."

Karis grinned at him, "Yeah. All their quirks aside, they are pretty cool people as far as parents go."

Amiti smiled back at her, but the way he did... Karis saw there was unease in him, and realized perhaps it wasn't only Ivan and Jenna he was thinking of.

Kraden, however, didn't seem to notice anything. "They still have such youthful spirit. It's something to envy," He said, smiling.

"Not true," Rief laughed. "You've got a lot of spirit yourself, Kraden!"

"Oh ho ho!" Kraden laughed, turning slightly pink at the compliment, "You're too kind, Rief."

Rief smiled, and the others followed suit.

Then voices came from around a corner, "I told you I thought I heard familiar voices, Ivan!"

"Yes, Jenna, and it would seem you were right."

Karis, Matthew, and Tyrell looked surprised for a moment, but that quickly turned to joy when Ivan and Jenna came around the corner.

"Mom!" Matthew grinned, running over to hug her quickly.

"Dad!" Karis said, following his lead.

"Ivan, Jenna," Kraden nodded.

"Hey, guys," Tyrell said, attempting (unsuccessfully) to look cool and collected.

Ivan momentarily frowned at Tyrell, "So, I hear you broke my Soarwing..."

Tyrell looked down. Ivan sighed and smiled in a rather exasperated, if understanding way. "It's all right. Typical situation, anyway. If it can go wrong with us, it will. I'm not angry with you."

Karis frowned, "You're too nice, Dad."

Ivan smiled at her, "I know."

Jenna rolled her eyes, "You're worse than Isaac."

Matthew and Karis had to laugh at that, and Matthew quoted Garet on the matter, "He's BEEN right about just about everything for the last thirty years. It's infuriating!"

Ivan, Kraden, and Tyrell had to laugh. Jenna smiled, messing up Matthew's hair, "I missed you, Son."

"Me too, Mom," Matthew said, grinning boyishly, the smile sparkling even in his eyes. Then, abruptly, he was serious again. "We're here on business, though. There's trouble..."

"We've heard," Ivan said, a worried expression crossing his face. "But you kids don't have to rush off just yet. Come on and rest a while." He turned his gaze to the rest of the party. Amiti shivered. Was it just him, or had Ivan's eyes lingered on him a moment longer than the others? "...I can tell we have a lot to discuss."

Kraden and the rest nodded in turn, and proceeded to follow Jenna to her house, where they filled Ivan and Jenna in on their recent affairs. The only details they left out were, to Amiti's relief, the ones concerning what Paithos had told them regarding his birth. It was rather embarrassing to him, and he was glad they avoided the topic. Though, truly, seeing how happy Matthew and Karis were to see Ivan and Jenna and to speak with them... To know all his friends had at least once known their parents... It made him feel a bit strange. As though he'd been left behind, staring out over a vast and empty sea.

When the tale was finally done, Ivan and Jenna both had strange expressions on their faces, somewhere between joy and sorrow, awe and dread. Jenna shook her head, looking at Matthew. "I knew this day would come," She said, "Your story reminds me so much of our own journey..."

"Those were the days..." Ivan sighed. "To think we though life would be easy after our quest was done."

Jenna laughed. Then her eyes fell on Eoleo, and her smile faded. "I'm sorry to hear about Briggs. I may have fought him beside Felix, Sheba, and Piers, but he wasn't a bad man. I regret his loss."

"Aye." Eoleo said, bowing his head. "I remember. I may have only been a tyke then, but I remember."

Jenna smiled, "I'm surprised. You couldn't have been more than two... Now look at you! You're a real leader. I'm sure you'll do as well as your father."

Eoleo turned his head up, grinning, "Thanks. No wonder the old man had such respect for you and your brother."

Himi nodded in agreement, "I see now, too, why my parents held you in such high honor."

Jenna smiled at her, "Yes, Susa and Kushinada did say that they'd raise their children to know our story. I'm sorry to hear that you haven't heard from Takeru..." Here Jenna's eyes took on a distant look, and she glanced out the window, falling silent.

Ivan looked at her with understanding, and turned to Himi, "We haven't seen Felix in some time, either. She knows how you must feel."

"It's getting late," Jenna said, obviously changing the subject. "The children should be off to bed... You should all head over to the Hammet's place."

"Yes," Ivan agreed. "There's plenty of room there for everyone. Come along."

Ivan nodded farewell to Jenna, and left followed by everyone except for Matthew and Karis. Karis shared a glance with Matthew, but when he nodded she smiled and went on.

"Matthew..." Jenna sighed, her smile trembling. Matthew hugged her one last time, in a manner not unlike Isaac had hugged Dora upon his homecoming.

"I'll come back, Mom," He said, "I promise."

"I know you will," Jenna said, pulling away, still holding her son's face in her hands. "I knew I couldn't shelter you forever... Gods, I knew you'd probably take after your parents. That doesn't make it any easier." Here her mouth pouted in anger as she said, "I can't believe Isaac didn't even see you off, though."

"I understand," Matthew said, shrugging as he pulled away with an easy smile. Just like his father, Jenna thought, hiding his unease under a mask of calm. Truly, that wasn't unlike Felix, either.

Matthew turned to go, but before the left, he turned back one last time. The look in his eyes was sincere. "I love you, Mom."

Jenna bit her lip and waved him off. "I love you too, Son. Be careful."

Matthew nodded curtly, and then he was gone.

...

**Author: **I'm going to be publishing new chapters as much as possible until Wednesday, because I will be on a short hiatus over the holidays. I hope to at least get certain events out by then:)

**Vitacrusis: **Glad you're enjoying it:) And yes, rest assured that several such loose ends will come in to play. Suffice to say... I was disappointed that Felix did not appear in Dark Dawn, so he is bound to appear in this eventually. Hope you like this chapter when you read it, as it mentions him:)

Oh, and for the record, if no one's checked my profile: I am a Lighthouseshipper. This is going to come into play as well (seeing how Sheba is missing, too). Hope no one minds:)


	4. Danger in the Pass

_Chapter Four: Danger in the Pass_

The following morning, they said their farewells to Ivan and the Hammets, and were off into the mountains. Ivan did give them one final warning, however, though it wasn't too different from what they'd already heard.

"Isaac's right. Something's brewing up in those mountains... I can feel it in the wind. Don't let your guard down..." Here his gaze fell on Karis. "You might not be fledgelings anymore, but you're still not full-blooded warriors yet, either. Don't overestimate your skill... But don't doubt yourselves, either. You have promise you don't know of."

For some reason, Amiti felt a chill when Ivan said that. Why? Was it because he thought he'd seen the man glance at him quickly, or because he felt that the words were meant for him. It didn't help that he knew Karis's father, like Sveta, could read minds.

He didn't know what the others were thinking of as they set off into the mountains, but he found that his thoughts kept wandering in circles, he couldn't clear his mind. Yes, there was something up there. He felt it, too. Did no one else feel the dread he did?

Matthew and Tyrell were chatting happily, Eoleo, Himi, and Rief were listening in. Sveta seemed to be speaking with Karis about something. Only he was lost in his own thoughts.

Amiti sighed, and tried to clear his mind, walking over to the Jupiter Adepts to join their conversation.

...

After the party went onward, Ivan paid Jenna a quick visit. He knew the children's quest into imminent danger distressed her more than she cared to admit. Besides, something was still bothering him.

"Jenna, are you all right?" He asked.

She nodded, then looked him in the eye. "They left something out yesterday, didn't they?"

"Yes," Ivan said, thinking. "...Though, truly, it does not seem significant. They only left it out because it is a rather... Uncomfortable subject for one of them."

Jenna looked at Ivan, confused. "What do you mean?"

Ivan shook his head. "It's really a private matter... I didn't mean to pry, but it's all that was on the poor boy's mind." Ivan walked over to the window and gazed out it, his blond hair falling over his eyes. "Amiti doesn't know his parents. Apparently, they weren't married, and his father left town before he even realized his mother was pregnant... And since she died shortly after he was born, he never knew her, either." Ivan met Jenna's gaze. "His uncle, King Paithos, spread word that Veriti was an Adept and had conceived him of her own power... He only recently learned the truth."

"That would be rather shocking," Jenna said. "I can see why they left it out."

Ivan nodded, slowly, still thinking.

"Something's bothering you," Jenna said, crossing her arms.

"Well," Ivan said, frowning, "It just seems rather strange. I can't help but feel that we're missing a detail. There was something about him..." Ivan shook his head. "It's nothing, I'm sure. I'm over-thinking it, like usual. Reading things that aren't even there."

Despite Ivan's reassurance, Jenna thought he'd been on the right track before. There was definitely _something _about the quiet, blue-haired young man... She just couldn't figure out what it was.

...

In the pass, the only crossing place to the Goma Plateau this side of Angara, the tension in the air was so thick you could catch it on you tongue. At least, Amiti thought so. But the conversations that had been struck up by his companions had died down. Even Eoleo and Tyrell seemed uneasy.

Sveta was the first one to alert the party of the danger. She stopped, dead in her tracks and stood still, sniffing the air. Her nose wrinkled and a low growl started deep in her throat.

"What is it?" Matthew asked.

Sveta turned to the group, voice low. "I smell... something. It stinks." Her ears twitched, and she said, "I hear something, too. An engine." She glanced up the mountains, towards the sky. "I think the smell is fuel."

The wind shifted, then, and the smell that had been too faint for their human senses was suddenly strong enough for them to make out.

"Ugh," Karis said.

As the wind died, Amiti felt a strange sensation settle over him. There was a presence nearby, a familiar one. That was when the low chuckling started, which was followed by a voice they knew all too well. "Well done. You deciphered it. We weren't expecting you to catch on so quickly... Then again, we weren't counting on the queen of Morgal remaining in your group."

The group turned as one and looked up, right into the face of Alex. He had his usual smirk on his face. It made Amiti sick to see. A traitor who had betrayed his own family shouldn't be so high and mighty.

"What kind of game are you playing at?" Kraden asked.

Alex shook his head. "You think this is a mere game, old friend? It is not a game to me. Nor should it be a game to any of you."

Something caught Amiti's eye then, some sort of dark smoke coming down off the mountain. A chill went through him, and then he realized why. The smoke was moving _against _the wind.

When he glanced at the others, however, to his confusion their eyes remained on Alex. It seemed as though they hadn't noticed it yet. But that was impossible... Unless... They couldn't see it.

Amiti returned his gaze to the smoke, which was now close enough to touch. Amiti glanced towards Alex, and started when he realized that Alex was looking at him, a hint of confusion in his stare.

The smoke solidified into human form, and all the others gasped in shock. Obviously it was another Tuaperang, this one armed with a strange looking club. But the smoke was new. Definitely.

"Arcanus... He could see..." The man started.

"I am aware of that, Clovos," Alex cut him off. "That... complicates matters. Change of plans. Let the others go... Take him with us."

"No!" Karis shouted, "We won't let you!"

Alex laughed. "My, you're just as sparky as your father. Good. You'll need it." Alex frowned at Clovos, "Do as I say."

"Of course," He said, and the battle of the pass began.

It seemed no one could lay a hit on him, though. It was a pointless battle. Every time they tried, he'd dissipate into smoke again, and everyone would be confused, searching for him until he re-solidified. Can't hit what you can't see...

But Amiti _could_ see him, he realized.

"I have this!" He yelled, and ran at Clovos.

"No!" Karis shouted, but it was too late. "...Idiot."

He slashed at Clovos once, then continued to curve the blade of his Masamune around in a free-flowing motion through the smoke. The man re-solidified behind him with a hiss, and Amiti saw a small amount of blood on his sword. He'd made contact. He turned around, noting that Clovos now had a thin cut along his cheek... And that his club was raised above his head, but it was too late. His arm fell, and stars swam before Amiti's eyes as his world went dark.

...

Alex warped down in time to catch the unconscious prince. He warped back again immediately, and smiled down at the distraught heroes.

"Let Amiti go!" Rief shouted.

"He didn't do anything to you!" Karis added.

"That is for us to decide," Alex shrugged. A whirring noise started up in the near distance. Alex smirked, "But I'm afraid we're out of time, children. I must bit you adieu." With that, he vanished into thin air, followed by Clovos... And Amiti was gone with them.

"Damn!" Matthew swore.

It didn't really do any good.

...

**Author: **A couple of things to say about this chapter... One, the comments about the "game" are a call-back to the cookie that you get if you always say no to Kraden as Felix and he yells at you in Lemuria. Plus, almost breaking the fourth wall is just plain down fun. Second, "Clovos" is my attempt to finish the card set begun in Dark Dawn. Tarot has five, and as Kraden mentions the three villians of Dark Dawn call out to three of them. There are the Arcana (Arcanus), which are the most important cards in it, and are also the ones used to fortell futures most often, such as through the "fool's journey." You can look them up if you're really interested. The other four are spades (Blados), cups (Chalis), cloves or clubs, and diamonds. Since Alex always seems to associate with a man and a woman, I'm continuing that trend, too. Clovos, my play on cloves/clubs, will be the counterpart to diamonds. I'm still working on a name and weapon for her, but she'll be more like ice this time. Hope no one minds the OC's.

Now, to respond to reviews:)

**Linkblade1: **Thanks. I was considering having something happen in Border Town, but then I realized this plot is going to be bogged down enough without that much trouble early on...**  
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**Mystwalker: **^^I just figured, if I had a young child, I wouldn't want to live in a run-down cabin with two men. Glad you like the parents, and the Soulshipping. There are going to be more of both eventually:)**  
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**Psyclone: **Sweet. You can count on it:)**  
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**Fried Chicken: **I know! But he really does laugh like Santa. And yeah, I feel bad for Amiti, too, that part was sad. His dad _is_ awesome, though, so maybe that makes up for it. Hope this chapter answers your question, and hope you think Alex's entrance is awesome enough.**  
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**Ryu Gaia: **Wow, that's quite a compliment. I am planning to bring in some loose ends still left over from The Lost Age, too, so it should get even more nostalgic for everybody.**  
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	5. Truth and Torment

_Chapter Five: Truth and Torment_

Amiti came to in a dark, cold cell. His face was pressed against the metal floor, and the whole room seemed to be vibrating faintly. He tried to get up, but soon found how difficult that could be with hands chained to the wall behind him. "Brilliant," He said, along with several other words he'd learned from Eoleo.

A sharp hiss sounded from nearby, and not a mechanical one like the whirring, humming sound that echoed around the walls. No, it was...

"Watch your mouth, boy." A girl's voice said, from his right. There was an odd quality to her voice, an accent he'd never heard before. He realized there were more cells nearby, separated by iron bars only.

He heard a sigh from the cell on his other side, and a man's voice came from the next cell over. "Don't mind her. She's just irritable."

Amiti finally managed to sit up, and got a better look at his surroundings. In the cell to his right was a thin figure with short red hair... And pointed, inhuman ears. She glanced at him, her eyes glinting red in the dim light, and he saw her skin was strangely lavender-shaded, and there were red triangle markings under her eyes.

To his left was a man who looked to be about his age, give or take, though of a stronger build than Amiti. His hair was dark, and there was definitely something familiar about his features. He shifted to be closer to Amiti's cell, and flashed him a uneasy grin. "Sorry to meet under these circumstances. If we're going to be here a while, we might as well get to know each other a little better. I'm Takeru, by the way."

Amiti started, "T-Takeru? Himi's brother?"

Takeru looked shocked. "You know my sister?"

Amiti nodded, "We've been traveling together for a while now, to stop the Eclipse. I'm Amiti, prince of Ayuthay."

"Ah, Ayuthay. Nice country," Takeru said. "I hear they're peaceful there, and prosperous."

The girl huffed, "Unlike Prox."

Takeru frowned, "If all Proxians are like you, Eos, I guess not."

Eos stuck her tongue out at him. "You'd be in a bad mood, too, if you were me. I just got picked up because I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Though... Considering the what you say about the fate of those who were under the Eclipse..." Eos shuddered. "Maybe it was lucky."

Takeru nodded gravely. "She was traveling alone when it happened," he explained. "I was captured by the Tuaperang while I was looking for some way to stop it, myself."

Amiti smiled slightly. "Well, no worries about that. We stopped it. Your sister helped."

Takeru's shock was obvious, as was his pride. "Did she...?"

All three of them started when they heard a door click, and footsteps sounded down the hall. Eos hissed, and leaned towards Amiti's cell. "That'll be for you, Prince," She sighed. "They're going to... interrogate you, same as they did us."

Takeru fidgeted. "Not fun. But they didn't kill us... So they probably won't kill you." He fell silent after that.

When Clovos opened the door and took Amiti away down the hall, he couldn't help but think that Takeru's words hadn't really been that reassuring.

...

"Now, boy, you'll tell me..." Clovos picked Amiti up by the shoulders and slammed him into the wall of the interrogation chamber, knocking the wind out of him. He gasped, and Clovos gritted his teeth, continuing, "...How it is you could see though my cloaking Psynergy!"

Amiti stuttered, afraid, "I-I don't know!"

Clovos punched him in the jaw. Amiti cried out in pain, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. "Liar!"

Amiti set his jaw. "It's no lie."

"I need a better answer!" Clovos said, raising his hand again. Amiti flinched.

Alex caught his hand before it fell, appearing suddenly behind him. "Clovos, you know I disapprove of your methods... Look in the boy's eyes. He's telling the truth."

Amiti trembled in fear, and Clovos angrily set him down. Amiti sank to a sitting position on the floor. "You deal with him then, Arcanus. And don't just appear like that. It's annoying."

"You're annoying," Alex said.

Clovos growled, then left, slamming the door behind him.

Alex shook his head. "Such a brute. He should realize interrogation is a... delicate process." Alex looked down at him. "Now, tell me your... best guess as to how you could see through his cloak."

Amiti glared at him. "I'm the crown prince of Ayuthay. I don't have to tell you anything."

Alex's eyes widened for a moment, to Amiti's confusion, but then he was collected again. "So, Paithos has a son? I hadn't heard."

Amiti spat, cleaning his mouth of the blood. "No. Paithos is my uncle. He has no children."

Alex stared at him. When he spoke again, his voice wavered slightly, and was quiet, almost breathless. "Veriti had a child...?"

Amiti froze, his eyes meeting Alex's. What his tone implied scared him. "...You knew my mother?"

Alex backed away, shock written all over his face. He tried to regain his composure, but when he failed he turned away from Amiti, shaking his head. "There was a child...?"

Amiti blinked, feeling faint. "You... You can't mean..."

Alex stiffened, turning back and meeting Amiti's gaze. He had a curious look about him. "So. I suppose all Ayuthay must know Veriti's disgrace, then."

"No," Amiti looked down. "Uncle told them she was the Adept. That she... conceived me of her own power."

Alex chuckled sardonically, "Veriti must hate that."

Amiti shook his head. "Doesn't matter," he said, "she's dead. She... died shortly after having me."

Amiti looked up at him, wanting to see his reaction. But Alex's face was, once again, an expressionless mask. Though his smirk was gone. "She's... dead?" He asked.

Amiti nodded. Alex sighed and said, "Get up. I'm done with you. Back to your cell."

He didn't offer any help. Amiti didn't want any. As Alex led him back, Amiti refused to look at him. It was only when Alex turned to go that Amiti turned to face him. Their eyes met for a moment, the Alex closed the door with a quiet click.

"How'd it go?" Eos asked. When Amiti just shook his head, slumping against the wall, she frowned. "That bad, huh?"

Amiti didn't answer.

...

Alex closed the door to his room behind him silently. The last look he'd seen in Amiti's eyes haunted his vision. Amiti. His son. Why hadn't he seen it before, how much the boy resembled him?

"I didn't want to," Alex muttered to himself. "I wanted to believe I'd never regret anything I did there. I saved them from the brink of wasting away into the desert, after all! It'a all my fault, what happened between us. She had to have known..." Alex shook his head. "Now she's dead. Brilliant. Probably my fault, too.."

Resignation tinged with disbelief. Bitterness just short of loathing. Some sort of desperate longing? That's what he'd seen in Amiti's eyes. Eyes not unlike his own.

Alex shivered to think of it, of how much the boy reminded him of the boy he'd once been.

...

Amiti went over it again and again in his mind. Everything his friends, especially Rief, had ever said about the man. Everything he'd just seen for himself. He was searching for something, anything, any sign that Alex... His _father_... could have ever been a different man. A man capable of loving.

Amiti shook his head. "How does a boy from a small town become so power hungry?" He asked, quietly. "...When did he begin to crave immortality? Why?"

Eos shot him an odd look. It was the first thing Amiti had said since he'd been returned to his cell, and she wondered what could've happened that would leave him so distraught.

"Alex, you mean?" She asked. She didn't need an answer. "Who knows. It happens all the time—something happens that changes a person forever. Maybe he read something that gave him an idea. Maybe... Maybe he fell on hard times, or was traumatized by something. He's not about to tell anyone, that's for sure."

Amiti looked at Eos. "How do you know about Alex at all?"

Eos fell silent, as though se realized she'd said too much. "I... ah... My mother knew him for a while. Nothing special. She was just a worthless pawn to him, and she almost died. Some people she was close to _did_ die. It's another reason I was captured, since I'm not exactly... royal. Unlike you."

Amiti frowned. He knew he wasn't as royal as he'd once thought. He tried not to think about it, tried not to let the truth bother him. He needed to think straight. "There must be some way to escape."

Eos hissed, and Takeru shook his head. "Amiti, we're on a zeppelin," He said. "A Tuaperang airship. Even if we broke out... We're way up in the air. There's no way."

Amiti swore. For some reason, his thoughts turned to Alex. It seemed they did that a lot of late. Now he knew why. But Alex didn't care. He'd be no help at all.

Yet, the last look he'd seen in Alex's eyes continued to swim before his vision. No, he corrected himself, the look he _thought_ he'd seen. Regret tinged with joy? Sorrow just short of heartbreak? Some kind of longing, long suppressed?

He wanted to understand. If he had seen it... _if_... The what did it mean? That Alex wasn't an entirely lost cause? Amiti shook his head. Based on what he knew, he'd only imagined it. He'd seen what he'd _wanted _to see, not the truth.

He smiled bitterly at the irony of it. For so long now, since Paithos had told him all he knew, Amiti had been tormented by a need to know the truth. Now it was the truth itself that tormented him.

"Bastard," He swore, under his breath. He didn't know if he meant Alex or himself.

He hoped Alex was as tormented as he was, one way or another. He deserved it.

...

**Author: **Well, this is the last chapter until January. My holiday present to everybody:) The truth finally comes out. Hope it's good. I was sorely tempted to have a "No, Amiti... I **am** your father!" moment... But that's just too cliche... lol. I forgot to say last chapter that Matthew swearing was actually a reference to the game, where he totally said _something_ that had to be bleeped.

It shouldn't be hard to figure out whose child Eos is. In case anyone wanted to know, her name is shared by the Greek goddess of dawn. Appropriate, I think:) I thought it'd be cool to have a Proxian in the party. As for my other OC's... I guess I'm just going to call the woman Diamond. It works. There's one other, but he only comes in a little later. Anyone else who thinks a warrior-style Jupiter Adept would be awesome? Hope so.

**Mystwalker: **Thanks. I thought it'd be cool to have her be the one to catch on. Cool that you like my idea. The Saturos/Menardi Agatio/Karst thing is exactly what gave me the idea. Alex seems quick to replace people, lol. It's kind of sad. And as for Amiti and Alex... Here you go^^ I'm going more into Alex's back-story in this later:)

Happy Holidays everyone:)


	6. Onward!

_Chapter Six: Onward!_

In the pass, Matthew urged the party onward, but the absence of even one person weighed down on everyone. Even though Amiti hadn't exactly been a chatterbox, his presence was sorely missed.

"How can we just... leave him?" Karis asked.

"It's not like we can do anything else," Sveta sighed.

"He's an intelligent young man," Eoleo said, "I'm sure he'll figure something out on his own. Hell," he added, "I bet the Tuaperang will realize that they have no reason to have taken him in the first place."

Rief frowned, "What do you think Clovos meant when he said "he could see?"

"He seemed to notice something before Clovos appeared," Karis said. "...And he hit him even when he was invisible. Could have something to do with Insight."

"I don't know," Tyrell said, "but we don't have time to stand around talking. Our dads are in trouble. If we get there in time, maybe they can help us save Amiti."

"They _have _dealt with Alex before..." Matthew agreed.

Karis frowned. "All right," she said. "Let's get moving." She rushed ahead, past Matthew and Tyrell, leaving both of them confused.

"What's her problem?" Tyrell asked.

Matthew and Sveta shrugged in unison. Only Eoleo, Rief, and Himi noticed. While the latter two had to stifle giggles, Eoleo just smirked. Kraden, oblivious, said, "You know, Tyrell, if I were you I'd just be happy Karis actually agreed with you for once. Doesn't happen too often, does it?"

Tyrell turned red and shook his head. "No, it doesn't." He turned to Mattew. "I think we should be scared. It's a bad sign."

Matthew nodded in agreement, and the group continued their trek in silence.

...

When the group finaly arrived back at the plateau, they stopped and stared in awe and fear at the giant vortex out over the chazm. Isaac and Garet were standing on the roof of the cabin, watching it, too. Matthew was the first to spot them, and he smiled as Isaac glanced down, grinned, and tapped Garet on the shoulder, startling him.

"The hell, Isaac! What was that for...?"

Isaac pointed, and Garet looked. His anger abruptly turned to joy. "Son!"

"Dad!" Tyrell ran across the bridge as Garet climbed off the roof.

Karis shook her head. "That's cutting it a little close! That thing's huge!"

Matthew shrugged, then cautiously headed for the cabin himself.

Garet gathered Tyrell in a big bear hug, then seemed to realize how sentimental he was being and pulled back awkwardly. "Uh... Good to see you, Son."

"Yeah..." Tyrell said, rubbing his head. "Same here."

"It seems the one most eager to fly off is the one most eager to come home," Isaac said. He smiled at Matthew and the rest. "I see you made some friends."

"Really brings back memories," Garet agreed, smiling broadly. He looked at Rief. "Mia's son, I'm guessing. Appropriate. I don't know the rest, though..."

Eoleo put a hand on his chest. "I'm Eoleo of Champa... I'm sure you've heard of my... My late father, Briggs."

Isaac and Garet nodded, Garet frowning. "You mean he's..." Eoleo nodded, and Garet cut himself off. "...Well."

"What about the others?" Isaac asked.

Himi and Sveta both bowed slightly and introduced themselves as the Queen of Morgal and the princess of Yamata.

Isaac smiled slightly. "Funny, isn't it, Garet?"

Garet frowned. "What's funny?"

Isaac shook his head. "Himi and Eoleo are both children of people only Felix's party met before, yet here they are helping our children. Matthew's the only one who is also a child of someone fron their party."

Garet shook his head. "I guess it is kind of ironic."

Isaac turned back to the party and frowned before asking, "Are there only seven of you? You seem to be missing a Water Adept..."

The whole party frowned, and Kraden stepped forward. "No. There was another in our party, Amiti of Ayuthay." He frowned, "I'm afraid if you are to understand why he is missing now, we'll have to first tell you what's been happening since we set out originally."

Isaac nodded, and ushered everyone inside. It was a bit cramped, but at least it was a bit easier to ignore the vortex when they couldn't see it. They quickly filled the men in on recent happenings.

"Ooh..." Garet fumed, his face dark red, "I've just about _had_ it with that damned, double-crossing, son of a..."

Isaac stood, putting a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Enough," he said, turning to the children. Garet sighed, calming somewhat, and Isaac continued. "You know we've had trouble with Alex in the past."

"More like he thoroughly duped us, and in the end we still had to go with it," Garet said, annoyed. "...And as if that wasn't enough, he did the same to you! You can't trust him!"

Isaac frowned. "Though why he'd activate Luna Tower and then help you stop the Eclipse is beyond me... Especially now that he's kidnapped Amiti. It just doesn't add up."

"I don't like the sound of those Tuaperang," Garet added.

Isaac shook his head. "I don't know. We used to think Proxians were evil, too, but that came back to haunt us."

Garet sighed, "Yeah, you've got a point."

"So," Karis asked, "Are you going to help us?"

Isaac and Garet shared a glance, then nodded. "We were just talking about heading into Kalay for a while," Isaac said. "We'd rather be with Ivan and Jenna when the storm hits."

"We're already packed and ready to go," Garet added. "Of course we'll help you save Amiti from those fiends."

"I don't look forward to meeting Alex again," Isaac siad, "But it looks like we have no choice."

"We'll leave first thing in the morning," Garet said. "Hopefully that vortex won't get worse in the night..."

Everyone else agreed.

...

**Author:** Sorry this chapter's a little short. As promised, I have returned:) And I know I'm being evil, cutting back to Matthew's party and leaving Amiti hanging. Don't worry, the next chapter's all his again and coming soon!

**Traveling Trainer: **First of all, thanks. I prefer my stories to be long and complicated, but have short individual chapters, if that makes any sense. Secondly... I'd like to tell you if it's Insight or not for real, but that comes up as a plot point later, so just wait and see.^^**  
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**Vitacrucis: **Thanks.**  
**

**Gravaja Umbros: **Well, thank you:) I do seem to write unusual fanfiction from time to time, so it doesn't always hit off at first. I'm glad you're happy with it.**  
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**silver eyeshine: **Well, here's a continuation! And I'm glad you also think a Jupiter Warrior would be cool.**  
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**Smiles: **:) Now I feel really punny. Thanks, Smiles.**  
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**JAIMOL: **Thanks a lot.**  
**

**Mystwalker: **As with Traveling Trainer... I'd like to tell you if your guess is right, but that would give it away. I can tell you that it's a good guess, though, and you'll find out for sure in a couple chapters. Glad you like the interactions and the villains. :)**  
**


	7. Escape

_Chapter Seven: Escape_

Clovos and Diamond waited in the control room of the airship, both growing increasingly annoyed. Diamond frowned at Clovos. "Well?" She asked, "Where is he?"

Clovos shrugged. "He took the interrogation into his own hands. You know his methods differ from ours."

"He's been gone long enough, surely," Diamond said.

As if on que, Alex warped into the room. He was perfectly calm and collected, as always. He smiled at his associates. "Hello."

Clovos frowned, "Well? What did you find out?"

Alex chuckled. It sounded almost... nervous. Diamond raised an eyebrow. "What's up, Arcanus? You seem... off."

Alex frowned. "_Off_, Diamond? I'm merely excited to tell you I think I'm on the verge of a breakthrough. The boy's almost ready to give in and tell me anything I want to know." It was a blatant lie, but Alex wasn't about to admit the truth to them. "Since when do _you_ have the authority to tell me that _I'm_ off, anyway?" His voice was on the verge of anger.

Diamond and Clovos both shied back a bit. They knew how powerful Alex was. Even the High Empyror held him in high regard. "S-Sorry," Diamond said, bowing her head. Her silvery-blue hair fell over her pale, angular face.

Clovos frowned, "Well, Arcanus? What did he say?"

Alex smiled. "Oh. Right. I believe it must be related to... his Psynergy... somehow..."

Diamond met his eye. "You don't sound too sure."

Alex shrugged. "We'll have to continue interrogations in the morning. However," here he glanced at Clovos disapprovingly, "I do not want anyone to resort to brute force. That won't get us anywhere."

Clovos huffed, and Diamond shook her head at him. "I'll question him tomorrow, then. We need answers."

Alex frowned. "Fair enough, if you'll allow me to question him with you. Good night." With that, he warped away.

Diamond frowned at Clovos, who ran a hand through his short maroon hair as he glanced in a mirror. He'd have a scar on his left cheek where the boy had cut him. "He does seem a bit off," He agreed.

"But we don't have the authority to say so," Diamond sighed, grimacing.

Clovos grinned evilly. "No. Not _now._"

Diamond shot him a confused look, and then smiled with understanding.

...

Amiti awoke from troubled sleep when he heard the sound of footsteps approaching. Immediately, he was on edge, expecting Alex. Instead, it was a woman with waist-length silvery-blue hair and clothes in a silver and black color scheme. A long, thin sword was strapped to her waist.

Amiti raised an eyebrow and said, "Let me guess... Clovos's partner?"

"Clever," Diamond said, smiling sardonically as she pulled him out harshly. "If it weren't for Arcanus warning me against using force, I'd slap you. I don't like sarcasm. I get enough of that from _him_."

Amiti sighed. He decided to keep quiet for the time being. It wasn't because he wanted to appease Diamond... It was because he didn't want to be compared to Alex.

Alex was waiting in the interrogation room. Amiti froze when he saw him. Diamond pushed him on in, frowning. "What _did_ you do to him, Arcanus?"

Alex shrugged and smiled at her, but it was different from his usual smirk. It was more uneasy, lacking the arrogant confidence he usually beamed. Almost... queasy, even. "I merely spoke with him. You'd be surprised what discussion can uncover." Hastily, he went on, "Anyway, _boy, _we've got to learn what power it is you possess that gives you sight others do not have." He stressed the word _boy_ almost too much.

Amiti didn't meet his eyes. "I don't know. I'm just an ordinary Adept." The way he looked down, it was obvious he was hiding something.

Alex shook his head, "Ordinary _Adept_ is an oxymoron. And you know you're lying as well as I do. You _do_ have a special power, don't you?"

Amiti bowed his head, his hair falling over his eyes. "Only Insight... But that's nothing."

"Insight?" Diamond asked, sharing a glance with Alex. "That sounds promising, Arcanus."  
Alex smirked, "It does, Diamond." He turned to Amiti and met his eyes. Amiti shivered before he dropped his gaze, looking down in disgust. Alex frowned slightly and averted his gaze as well. "Tell us more, boy."

Amiti begrudgingly replied, "Insight is a Psynergy bestowed upon the Adept chosen by the Insight Glass. The Glass was a treasure kept safe in Ayuthay since the fall of the ancients. When we found it, it chose me. But... All Insight allows me to do is see what people are feeling, or what sort of power we need to find our way. I really don't think it would allow me to..."

Alex shook his head. "Enough. Psynergy works in mysterious ways. It is definitely possible that Insight is what allows you to see. In fact, it is the most obvious and logical conclusion. I'm sure it's correct." He was not at all sure, in truth, _because_ it was so obvious. Alex never trusted the obvious. "Diamond?" He asked, turning to her.

"Yes?" She frowned.

"I would like to further question the prisoner alone, if you would leave us."

Diamond shot him an incredulous look. They had their information, why would he need to stay? Then she turned to Amiti. He was still trembling and avoiding Alex with his stare. Diamond shrugged, and said, "Fine."

He'd gotten some useful information out of the boy already. Whatever else he wanted... She had to oblige. Remembering Clovos's words, she smiled once she had turned and left. Yes. She had to oblige... For now.

Let him do as he wished.

…

With Diamond gone, it was only the two of them again. Amiti didn't want to be there. He didn't want to answer Alex's questions. He felt ill and frightened, and terribly sad. This was the man his mother had loved so dearly? This was the man who had broken her heart?

"Look at me, Amiti," Alex said.

Amiti was afraid to look, afraid of what he'd see. But he _had _to look. He wanted to, as much as he hated to admit it. Wanted to know if what he'd seen there before was really there. He met Alex's gaze without wavering. What he saw was a carefully crafted mask, one that revealed nothing.

Alex nodded once, slightly, and went on carefully. "You realize, I'm sure, what I said before was a lie. I do not think it is Insight that grants your ability... I have no idea what kind of power you have." He hesitated, then added, "...What power you have inherited from me. But regardless... I can't have you here."

Alex raised a hand, and Amiti felt his bonds break. He rubbed his wrists, frowning. There had to be a catch. There always was.

Alex looked away, shaking his head. "I know you must hate me, Amiti. And you have every right. I took your mother's honor, even it it was her will, which I never should have done. Not only that, I left her carrying my child. And," Alex said, spreading his arms, "I broke her heart. Wouldn't be the first time. I don't deserve forgiveness. I'm not asking you for it."

Amiti looked at Alex in confusion. Was there really a hint of pain in the man's voice, or was that just his imagination playing tricks on him? Alex seemed pretty calm on the outside, anyway.

Alex let his arms fall. "I'm letting you go. Now. Escape while you can, before Diamond or Clovos comes looking. I... I'll think of something to tell them. I'll make something up. I can't let them find out who you really are."

Amiti frowned. "What about the other two? Takeru and Eos?"

Alex sighed. "Can't make this easy for me, can you?" He shook his head. "Fine. I'll let them go, too. I've been meaning to get rid of them anyway. I hate unnecessary baggage. They're useless to us." He went to the door and left without once looking back. Amiti followed him.

On the way to the cells, Alex spoke to Amiti in low tones. "I'll free them without letting them see me. It would probably be in your best interest to let them believe it was your doing."

Amiti looked at him in anger. "I don't like this," He said. "I don't like lies."

Alex stopped dead and spun around. "No, I don't suppose you would. Who can blame you? But sometimes lies are necessary. Feel free to tell your _friends_ the truth. See if they still trust you. I've already made up my mind, Amiti. I'm letting you go free." Here his eye narrowed and he frowned. Amiti shivered. Here it was, the catch. "...Just this once." His voice was quiet, sinister. "That's it. Don't get caught again. I won't help you next time. Should we meet again... Even in _battle_... I will not hesitate, nor will I hold back. Nothing, no one—not even my _son—_will stand in my way. Not this time. Do you understand?"

Amiti nodded.

"Good," Alex said, then he walked on.

Outside the cells, Alex shot Amiti a look that said _remember_, before he raised his hand again, one last time. Amiti heard the unmistakable clinking sound of metal on metal as the other prisoner's bonds broke free. He peered through the slot in the doorway in time to see Takeru and Eos share a confused glance. When he turned to look at Alex again, he was already gone.

Amiti wasn't sure if he were happy about that... or sad.

He opened the door and went in. Takeru grinned. "Amiti! You got away! Was it you that freed us?"

"It's a long story," he said, which was true enough. "I'll fill you in some time. Let's get out of here first."

Takeru and Eos nodded. They weren't about to argue when they had so little time.

…

Amiti had been worried about getting _off_ the airship, but when they got to the hangar he realized he shouldn't have been. Alex had set that up, too, having let one glider mechanism ready to go. Leave it to Alex to cover all bases, including his own. _Especially _his own. He strapped the glider on to the three of them and jumped out of the airship and into the sky.

He closed his eyes as he fell, letting the wind rush through his hair and clear his mind of all thoughts, save one.

_It feels so good to be free._

_..._

**Author: **Sorry this chapter took a little while. It's a bit longer than usual, though. I was trying to keep everyone in character, which is especially hard with Alex. (Considering we really don't know _what _his intentions are _at all_ it's all just guessing anyway.)

Oh, and Alex as Amiti's dad is _officially_ confirmed. That's right, I said _officially._ If you don't believe me, go to Golden Sun Universe (the new one) and go to Amiti's page. It has _proof._

I'm so happy about that!_  
_

**Anne Iriel Devay: **Glad you started reading it:) Hope you continue to enjoy it!**  
**

**silver eyeshine: **Thanks for being so enthusiastic! Here's a new chapter:)**  
**


	8. Keeping Secrets

_Chapter Eight: Keeping Secrets_

Dawn the next morning was quiet. Matthew, Karis, Tyrell, and Rief were the first ones to leave the overcrowded cabin, followed by Eoleo, Sveta, Himi, and Kraden. Only Isaac and Garet lingered a while longer, and Kraden smiled at them assuringly. "I'm sure it will still be here when you come back," he said. "And even if it isn't..."

Isaac smiled brightly, "...We can always rebuild. Again. I know. I'm ready to be off, actually."

Garet had to laugh. "Yeah, you would be." He looked at the children and said, "Would you believe he once was all but _forced_ to set out on an adventure?"

Isaac frowned. "We were _both_, Garet, but would you really say you weren't excited even then?"

Garet smiled. "No. I was. I guess I am, even _now._" Tyrell huffed, and Garet beamed. "Let's go! We have a job to do!"

Everyone nodded, and they were off. No one dared glance back even once, for they didn't want to think of the vortex that was so close to home.

They wandered along the mountains, spotting occasional vortexes as they went. Isaac would sigh and shake his head. Garet, too, seemed oddly quiet, as did Kraden. A couple times they went ahead and would say something in low tones, only to stop and glance back at the children and go silent once more. They seemed to be in rather low spirits for some reason.

Karis was finally too curious to remain silent herself. "What is it, Isaac? Garet? What's bothering you? ...It's not just the vortexes, is it? There's something else, too."

Isaac, Garet, and Kraden shared a glance before Isaac answered, "No. You're right, Karis, it's not. But... It's not something we really want to talk about. Not now."

Matthew, Karis, and Tyrell frowned. Kraden sighed. "All in time," he said. "No need to burden you with the tale now. Suffice to say it has to do with the first Mourning Moon event that happened twenty years ago. It was a tragic and chaotic time, I'm sure you well know."

The children nodded, and Rief spoke up. "Yeah. It hit everyone hard, even non-Adepts. It also radically changed the lay of the land in central Angara."

Kradden nodded, proud. "Good, Rief. Precisely."

Isaac frowned, looking genuinely downcast. "It hit some harder than others, though," he said, quietly. "_Much_ harder."

Garet shook his head. "Shh, Isaac. Didn't we just say we weren't going to speak of that tragedy now?"

And with that, despite Karis, Tyrell, and Rief's further attemts to get the adults to talk, they remained silent and traveled apart from the group.

Sveta spoke with Karis, though, offering a piece of information. "Earlier, when they didn't think we could hear them, I swear I heard them say something about that Felix guy. Do you know why?"

Karis shook her head slowly, and Matthew whispered to Sveta, "Mom wouldn't tell me all the details, but something terrible happened. She said he... He wasn't himself when he left. That's all I know. Now I'm guessing the "something terrible" has to do with the Mourning Moon."

Sveta frowned. "It seems strange to me that they won't tell us."

Mattew shrugged. "It's probably a sad story. We're in a bad enough way as it is. That's why."

Karis was about to say something when she spotted something in the air. "Look!" She said, pointing, "What's that?"

Sveta squinted in the light, then shook her head. "It looks like it's made of metal. I think there's someone on it."

"What?" Garet asked as he and Isaac rushed forward.

Isaac squinted, then said, "Come to think of it, it is behaving rather like a Soarwing."

Karis gasped. "You're right!"

Rief frowned. "But wouldn't that mean..."

"It's being flown by an Adept," Himi finished.

The group shared a glance, even as the think came closer and finally it became obvious that there were in fact _three_ people on it... And that one of them had a familiar shock of blue hair.

"Amiti!" Rief and Karis shouted together.

Amiti looked up when he heard his name, eyes widening a moment before he smiled at them. "Karis! Is this what it feels like to use a Soarwing? It's wonderful..." Then he looked down, and his face turned white with fear. "Only... Karis, I don't know how to land!"

Karis hopped in frustration. "I know how to fly a Soarwing... Not whatever that thing is!"

"Just crash it and hope for the best!" Tyrell suggested.

Karis, Matthew, Isaac, and Garet frowned at him. "Good advice," Karis said sarcastically. "Is that what _you_ were thinking?"

Tyrell rolled his eyes. "Come on..."

"Try not to hurt yourself!" Kraden shouted.

"That's what I was thinking!" Amiti agreed.

Karis frowned. "Here, I'll see what I can do," she said, raising a gentle wind with her Psynergy. Amiti smiled in gratitude as he landed safe and sound nearby. Takeru and Eos stagered up along with him towards the party. Himi gasped when she saw Takeru and ran to hug him. "Takeru! It's you! You're all right!"

"That's right, Himi," he agreed. "So are you."

Matthew smiled at them. "So, Takeru aside, who's she?"

Eos frowned. "Unlike _some people, _I can answer for myself, thank you very much. My name's Eos."

Isaac and Garet shared a glance, Isaac muttering something about family resemblence and having been gone _much_ too long... To which Garet clearly said, "Might want to watch your back."

Only Karis and Rief seemed to notice the way Amiti's eyes darkened at Garet's words for a moment, or the new shadows darkening his face. "Something wrong?" Karis asked.

Amiti shook his head, but he wouldn't meet her eyes.

"So, how'd you escape?" Matthew asked.

Eos and Takeru shrugged, looking at Amiti. "He's the one who broke us out and found the glider," Eos said. "He still hasn't told us how..."

Amiti shrugged, smiling awkwardly. "It... It's complicated. I got lucky, I guess."

When he went silent, obviously done talking about it for the moment, Eos sighed. "Well, I for one don't have anymore time to waste waiting here. Goodbye."

"Hold on a moment!" Amiti said. "What do you mean?"

"She's looking for someone," Takeru said. "She won't say who or why, just that it's urgent."

Eos frowned. "Well, aren't you nosy? If you must know... It's my... _brother_. He's in danger. I have to find him."

Amiti frowned. "You're not telling the truth, are you?"

Eos bit her lip and shook her head. "I am too! Well... I mean... Look, I'm already risking a lot, going after him this way. I wasn't supposed to, but maybe Mom will forgive me if I bring him home with me safe and sound."

Isaac smiled faintly, shaking his head. "Knowing your mother, I doubt it. She is known to hold grudges. Karst is probably worried sick about you right now... And when you get home, her first reaction will be furious."

Garet shuddered. "Karst as a mother? Scary. And she actually has _two _kids. Even worse."

Eos frowned rather guiltily. "Yeah. Sure..."

Garet gasped. "Don't tell me there's more than that...?"

Eos shook her head quickly. "No. Just my brother and me. How's that so scary? People do change, you know. Mom went through a lot back then."

Kraden nodded. "When we found Karst and Agatio, we thought they were both done for. We brought them back to Prox with us, but we knew there was even less hope for them than the others. We were so surprised when Karst woke up... Considering that Agatio died, it was quite a shock. She seemed so much weaker than him..."

"Her spirit was brighter," Isaac said. Then he tilted his head at Eos. "How is she, by the way? Well, I hope."

"Well enough," Eos said. "Thanks for asking. I mean, she could be better... if her children would come home. But no. My... My brother has to be an idiot and go off on his own."

"Didn't you do exactly the same thing?" Rief asked.

"No," Eos said. "I don't have a crazy goal to accomplish, and I didn't just rush off without second thought. I gave it _a lot_ of thought. Trust me."

Isaac frowned. "Why does this sound familiar...?"

Garet shook his head. "I don't suppose you'll tell us what exactly his "crazy goal" is?"

Eos shook her head. "I... I can't."

Takeru frowned. "Well, I don't think it would be very heroic of us to let you wander off by yourself again..."

Karis nodded. "Stick with us—we can help you find your brother."

"That is, once we settle a few things ourselves," Amiti added.

"Really?" Eos asked. "But why?"

"That's how my fr-friends are," Amiti said, the word friends catching on his tongue for a moment as he remembered what Alex had said. He believed in them, not Alex.

"Trust us. We'll help you," Matthew said. "Promise."

Eos smiled then, truly, for the first time in a long while. "Okay," she said, shaking Matthew's hand.

_Eos and Takeru joined the party!_

"...The hell? Who said that?" Garet asked.

"Not _again,_" Isaac muttered.

…

**Author:** Those last few lines are mostly a joke. I always wondered if the party could hear that sort of thing... and what they'd say if they could. Anyway... I guess this chapter answers those questions about Eos. So yes. Karst _is_ her mother. As for the rest... Her brother, what the "tragedy" was, etc... Well, the hints are all there anyway. Think of what Hama said, that's all I have to say.

**Dragon Knight Reina:** Yeah, same here. You will get to see more of the Warriors later, too. Thanks, for whenever you catch up and see this:)

**Anne Iriel Devay: **I guess. I'm big on people having at least some good in them, and being victims of circumstance. Do note that he is still pretty sinister, though. Maybe. And as for Eos's father... I guess it's obvious that he isn't Agatio. Beyond that...? Hope you like this chapter!**  
**

**silver eyeshine: **:) Here's an update!**  
**

**smasherthekeybladebearer: **Lol. Here you go! Glad you like it:)**  
**


	9. From Darkness to Darkness

_Chapter Nine: From Darkness to Darkness_

At nightfall that day, when everyone was settling down into their sleeping bags and tents, Eos stood by herself up on the ridge. Just before stopping for the evening, the group had decided to split up first thing in the morning. Isaac and Garet would continue north on to Kalay as planned, but the rest would head south, to Ayuthay. Amiti was growing increasingly worried about his Uncle.

Eos still wasn't sure about them, the others. But she had been so lonely for so long... A little company wouldn't hurt.

Isaac went over to her so quietly she almost didn't hear him until he was right behind her. "Eos?" He asked, voice low.

Eos glanced back at the others, no one was paying them any mind. "What is it?" She asked.

"I just wanted to talk to you," Isaac said. "About... Your mother. And your brother. Won't you tell me more?"

Eos sighed and said, "Mom hasn't exactly forgiven you, Isaac, but she's not vengeful anymore. She... cooled down quite a bit after Agatio died. But you already know that."

"True. What about the rest of your family?"

Eos shrugged. "Dad's not... around. Usually it was just me and Seth around the house when we were little. But then... Seth started going off to other parts a lot, and he'd disappear for months on end sometimes without telling anyone. Mom seemed to take it for granted. I always hate it when he's gone. But... This time is different. This time, there's the Mourning Moon to worry about."

She went quiet after that, and Isaac nodded. "That's what I thought. Tell me... Do you know anyone named Felix?"

Eos started in such a way it was obvious that she did. "Sort of. He's come by Prox a few times. Why?"

"His family worries about him," Isaac said, quietly. "And we want to know what exactly it was that happened to him, back... then."

Eos looked at him, and saw the genuine sorrow in his eyes. She finally asked, "What do you mean?"

Isaac glanced up at the moon. It was waxing, not quite full. "He never did explain anything. He had been away for some years, and only sent infrequent letters. The last letter we got was from Lalivero. It said he and Sheba had been visiting her family there, and that they were on their way to Kalay with their new son to see us. That was right before the first Mourning Moon."

Isaac looked down, and Eos turned to face him. His voice was wavering, but he went on. "We were so worried for them. Their journey would've put them in the heart of the danger. When they didn't show up, we could only expect the worst."

"What happened then?" Eos asked.

Isaac met her eyes. "Felix showed up after a while, to Jenna's relief, but it was short-lived. He was a mess, absolutely mental. He wouldn't tell us anything, except that Sheba was gone. We could only assume the same could be said of his son. He was restless the whole time we were trying to help him, and one morning we woke up and he wasn't there. We haven't heard from him since. Any word concerning him would comfort Jenna. I know it."

Eos stared down the mountainside, and finally said, "He's quiet, mostly, and there's a sad air about him, but he's all right. You should tell Jenna that. Sorry, but I can't tell you where he is. You really don't want to know that."

Isaac nodded, slowly. "Thank you, Eos. It's more than I hoped for. I will tell Jenna. Good night."

"Good night," Eos agreed, walking after him back to the camp.

She fell asleep quickly, but her dreams were restless. They had been for some time.

...

Eos wasn't the only one who wasn't sleeping well that night.

"_Mother?" A small, helpless boy cried out into the cold darkness A cloth was pressed to his burning forehead over his eyes, he couldn't see anything. "Mother, Father, where are you? Help me..."_

"_Shh, Alex. You're sick. Sleep." The voice belonged to an old man, a village healer._

"_I want Mother. Or Father."_

"_...They are beyond helping you, now. Get well, for their sake."_

_Alex started coughing uncontrollably. He couldn't cry then, but the tears came later, when he was standing at their grave. It was his fault, he knew. His fault they were dead._

_Time passed strangely in the dream, and the next thing Alex knew, he was standing at another grave. A very different grave, one he'd never seen before... But he knew this grave, too._

_It was Veriti's._

_Alex sank to his knees. This grave, too, was here because of him. His fault._

"_Why, Alex? Why did you leave me?"_

_Alex felt a chill go through him. He knew that voice. He opened his mouth to speak, but the answers he could've given caught in his throat when he saw her ghostly form appear before him. She looked so weak, so fragile._

"_Why did you leave us...?" Her eyes, her pale eyes, they were full of tears._

"_I told you," Alex said. "I can't afford it. I... can't..."_

"_Why?" Veriti's ghost whimpered, and Alex closed his eyes, willing the vision to go away. When he opened his eyes, it was just a grave again, but it was different. He still felt cold, seeing it._

_A single white flower lay on the stone below her name._

"_Veriti..." Alex muttered, trying to hold back the tears that blurred his vision. He couldn't afford it. Couldn't afford such weakness._

...

Alex woke to a knocking on his door. Still in a stupor from the dream, he pulled himself together as best he could and opened it. He had to try hard not to jump when he opened it and saw Diamond. She looked enough like Veriti, for a moment he mistook her for the ghost he'd seen in his dream. Stupid. She wasn't like Veriti at all.

"What is it?" He asked, back to his ordinary self again.

Diamond frowned. "We've landed on the North Continent. We told you we'd arrive soon, didn't we Arcanus? Or did you forget in your _absentmindedness?_"

Alex cringed slightly. He'd come up with the excuse that the prisoners must've used their Psynergy to break free, but Diamond hadn't bought it. He knew she hadn't bought it, though she had to pretend that she believed him. Alex smirked slightly at that. Oh, the power.

"Yes, Diamond, I remember. I'm not forgetful. I'll be down in a moment."

"Good," Clovos said, coming up behind Diamond. "You don't want to keep _him_ waiting. He's dying to meet the great Arcanus. He seems to think you would help him."

Alex frowned. "You don't mean that man you've told me about before."

Diamond nodded. "He has a bad habit of showing up when we least expect it."

Alex chuckled. "Yes, quite. Very well. I don't suppose I can keep him waiting any longer."

Diamond frowned. "You... You don't _know_ him, do you Arcanus?"

Alex smiled. "Whatever would give you that idea? Tell him I'll be down in a moment."

After he closed the door, he shook his head as he got ready. He was not looking forward to this meeting. Not at all. He had no idea what he was going to do or say. He couldn't give anything away that would ruin everything. So. Not a word about Amiti, not a word about _her_, and not a word about Artemis...

Alex shook his head. "No, don't even _think_ about that."

When he finally went into the meeting chamber, the room appeared empty. It had an excellent view of the clouds outside. Alex walked out onto the balcony, looking down. Diamond and Clovos were, presumably, on their way to see the High Empyror. So where was...

"Hello, Alex." The voice came from behind him. "Been a while. I almost doubted it would be you they called Arcanus, but I had a hunch. Guess I was right."

Alex sighed. "Do call me Arcanus around them, though. I'm trying to go incognito."

"With that mask? It only covers half your face."

Alex turned to face him, smirking. "Oh, and I guess you think you're so much better than me just because yours covers everything? You think you can hide your true feelings under that, Felix?"

"No," Felix admitted, reluctantly. "Nor do I try to. They know why I'm here. As do you."

Alex frowned. "Why don't you go home? Your quest is pointless. Don't you have better things to do?"

"Not at the moment," Felix said. "Besides... I'm not really at home anywhere anymore." His voice was laden with pain, and Alex realized his mask really was only meant to hide his identity as it had before. He didn't try to disguise his feelings at all. "Just give me something to do, Alex. Anything."

Alex turned away, not wanting Felix to see just how much Alex understood how he felt.

"All right," Alex said. "I'll help you."

…

Back with the party of heroes, the group was packing up camp. Sveta avoided Eos, Amiti, and the adults as much as she could. What little she'd read in their minds lately... She didn't want to pick up any more, even by accident. Amiti's mind was guarded, as if he were trying to avoid thinking of certain things himself, and the same could be said of Eos. Sveta had picked up certain thoughts from Eos when she'd been speaking the day before, but she didn't understand them. As for the adults... their thoughts had been so gloomy.

"Something bothering you, Sveta?" Matthew asked. "You've been awfully quiet."

Sveta shook her head. "I'm fine. If I were you, I'd worry more about Amiti. He's got a heavy weight on his shoulders."

Matthew nodded. "I see it. He must be worried about Paithos."

Sveta sighed, shaking her head slightly. "I hope we make it in time... Poor Amiti."

"Let me help you with that," Karis said to Amiti, packing away a tent he'd been messing around with absentmindedly for a while.

"Oh," Amiti said, dropping it suddenly. "Sorry. I didn't realize..."

"It's okay," Karis said. "I can tell you have a lot on your mind." She met his eyes then, and smiled faintly at him. "Feel free to share your thoughts any time. I'll listen."

Amiti nodded, but he turned away after that.

"Okay, kids," Isaac said, "This is where we say goodbye." He and Garet were already packed.

"At least we're all here this time..." Matthew said, quietly, and Isaac smiled at him.

"Come here, Matthew," He said, offering a hug. Matthew went to him and hugged him gently for just one moment. "I'll miss you."

"Me, too. Say hi to Mom for me."

"Of course," Isaac patted him on the shoulder, then started to walk away. Then he turned around and looked at the party. "Trust each other, and don't let down your guard. You'll be fine."

Matthew nodded, and with that Isaac turned and started off to the north. Garet nodded curtly at the group with a quick, "Good luck to you," and followed Issac.

"Well," Karis said. "Guess we'd better get moving, too."

The others nodded, and they went south.

...

**Author: **Well, there you go. This chapter's a bit on the longer side, too. It has more of Eos's story and Felix's grand entrance.^^ Also has some nice hints in there as to Alex's backstory... and future plans. As for Eos... I'm glad so many people seem to like her. I made her up, after all. And Seth. Can't wait to see how that goes.

**Anne Iriel Devay: **Lol. Great, someone who shares my sense of humor. I laugh every time one of those things comes up... Especially the one in Golden Sun where Isaac _finds underwear._ Though the one about bathrobes in Lemuria is great, too. *Still refrains from saying anything definite about Eos* Hope you continue enjoying this:)**  
**

**Just a fan: **Gee, thanks. Cloudy history=great opportunity for fanfiction. I won't tell you if you're right or wrong about Eos, but I _can_ tell you her age. She's seventeen... But looks more fifteen or so.**  
**

**JamesK716: **Thank you!**  
**

**smasherthekeybladebearer: **Sorry:) Glad you love it so much. And yeah- as I explain in this chapter, Sveta _can_ read minds, but in-game she says it's almost a curse as well as a blessing. I'd assume she has some control over it and can avoid reading minds if she wants to. She respects people's privacy. Good ability in a queen, either way...**  
**


	10. Return to Ayuthay

_Chapter Ten: Return to Ayuthay_

Some time later, the party came over a ridge and the stone walls and palace of Ayuthay came into sight. It was as beautiful as ever, but the mere sight of it could not comfort Amiti.

"Amiti..." Karis said, seeing the worry on his face.

"It's okay, Karis," he said, walking ahead without looking at her. "Let's hurry."

Karis frowned, and Rief turned to her. "I can't blame him for being worried. Paithos is, after all, his only... the only family he knows. If I were him, I'd be in a rush to get home."

Amiti smiled wearily. "No use going any faster, Rief. Either we get there in time or we don't."

In any case, the party did hasten their pace as they went towards Ayuthay. Amiti wasn't the only one who was anxious. They all were, for their own reasons.

"We have to warn people about the danger!" Matthew told Sveta. "If we pass through any cities, we have to tell them not to travel in central Angara for a while."

"This whole situation is bad," Sveta sighed. "Not only have we just come out of the tragedy of the Grave Eclipse, but the Mourning Moon is coming back. Terrible."

Matthew nodded. "Dad's been studying that, too, all these years. He thinks they occur because of an imbalance caused by the release of Alchemy. The last two times they've happened, they only went away when they'd sucked in enough pure energy from everything around them to be sated. Only... The last one wasn't as big as the first one. He thinks this next one could be even worse."

Sveta shuddered. "I can't imagine that."

"Me, either. I don't even remember the last one," Matthew admited. "...I'm kind of scared."

"Me, too," Himi agreed, and Rief nodded as well.

Eoleo frowned, and said, "Well, _I_ remember it. It was awful—made me feel really queasy. And I remember the first one, too. It _was_ definitely worse. If Isaac thinks the next one is going to be worse than that... I don't want to see it."

Amiti, who had seemed lost in thought throughout this conversation, spoke up in a quiet voice. "The first Mourning Moon happened about twenty years ago. I... I wonder..."

Rief perked up. "You know... Mother did say a lot of people took ill shortly after the Mourning Moon. Nothing that major... But it could have something to do with..."

"Amiti! Prince Amiti!" By now, the group was just outside the city gate, and a group of small children had run up to them in excitement, beaming at Amiti. Amiti's face brightened visibly, and he beamed right back at the children.

"Hello, friends," he said. "How have you been in my absense?"

The little girl smiled. "We've been fine, Prince Amiti!"

"Yes, fine!" One boy agreed.

"How could you not know?" The other boy chided.

Karis, Rief, and Matthew chuckled. Tyrell just shook his head in exasperation.

Amiti looked increasingly joyful. "_Prince_ Amiti, you say? Then... Does that mean my Uncle...?"  
The children shared a glance, their faces turning a bit more solemn. "He's... alive," the girl said. "But... He isn't doing so well."

"The grown-ups say he could leave us any time," The first boy added.

"You know that, though, don't you?"

Amiti's shoulders drooped. "Yes. I have been aware of that. Thank you. Please, lead the way."

The children did just that, leading the party into the gloomy city. Kraden, seeing it, remarked, "This reminds me so much of Lemuria... It's beautiful, but it has certainly seen better days."

Amiti nodded, but didn't say anything. The children led them into the underground section. "We're still staying in the shelter, because there's still a chance Kaocho will attack us, and we have lots of repairs to do," The girl said.

As they passed people in the halls, their faces brightened when they saw Amiti every time, but there was still sorrow in their eyes. They were happy to have their bright prince back, but knew it was only a matter of time before he'd be their prince no longer.

When they came to the door of the inn, Amiti hesitated. "Prince, King Paithos awaits you..." The guard said.

"I know," Amiti said, "...but I'm not sure I'm ready to face him."

"You can do it," Karis reasurred him.

"I believe in you," Rief agreed.

The others just smiled sadly and urged him on. Amiti shot Karis and Rief a grateful look before he set his jaw, straightened his shoulders, and walked into the inn in a regal manner.

"Uncle...?" Amiti said once he was in front of the King's sickbed. He had declined considerably since their last visit. Amiti could hardly stand to look at him, he was so different from the Paithos in his memories.

Paithos opened his eyes, and smiled. "Go..." he said to the servants and guards. "I want to be alone with Amiti for now."

The entire court left in utter silence, proof of their undying respect for their King. Amiti sat on the corner of the bed beside Paithos. He didn't even try to keep the sadness he felt hidden. "I came home, Uncle. Just like I promised."

"Look at you," Paithos said, beaming. "I told you you'd be a man when you returned. You're a warrior now, you have an aura of strength brimming about you. Yet... You are still uncertain of yourself."

Amiti frowned, and Paithos prodded, "Is this about your father, Amiti?"

Amiti shook his head. "I... I do not care about my father. I have an Uncle who has always loved me as if I were his own son, which is truly something I am grateful for." Tears welled up in his eyes as he went on. "Considering the nature of my birth, you could have shunned me. You could have thrown me out, disgraced my mother... Yet you did not. You made my life wonderful, blessed."

Paithos smiled at him weakly. "Of course, Amiti. I could never have done anything less. I loved Veriti so... She was my only family. We lost our parents when we were very young. I was only fourteen when I became King, Amiti, and she was only nine. There... There is a tapestry, somewhere in the palace. It is just before they died. Veriti is beaming in it, and I do not look weary at all... Who could've known only ten years later, she'd be dead?"

"No one could've known." Amiti said, clenching his hands. He'd seen the tapestry, he'd often thought of it himself. His mother... She'd been such a bright, spirited girl. That's what everyone said. Someone you would never expect to die.

"She was the same age you are now when she died," Paithos went on. "Do us a favor... Live a long life, Amiti. Do not die before your time."

Amiti nodded, and Paithos drew a shuddering breath. Amiti knew then he had indeed arrived home just in time. "Uncle..." he cried softly, burying his face into Paithos's chest as he'd often done as a small child. It had been a long time since then, but Paithos remembered, too, and smiled faintly. He hugged Amiti weakly. "Uncle, I will miss you dearly... You have been a father to me all this time. I do not need my real father... You will always hold that place in my heart."

Paithos shook his head, sighing. "You can't know that. Not for certain... but thank you all the same. You certainly will always hold a place in my heart... Son."

Amiti waited for Paithos to say more, but when he did not, Amiti realized he was dead. He bit back tears, then gave up and let them fall. Let the people see how much he mourned him. They knew Paithos was dearly loved by his nephew. He stood, trying to stand tall, and went outside.

One look at his face told everyone what they needed to know. They bowed their heads, both in mourning of their old King... And in honor of their new one.

…

Meanwhile, with Isaac and Garet, the duo were still on their way to Kalay when Garet broke the silence. "You seem thoughtful," he said.

"I'm worried," He admitted. "...Especially about Eos and Amiti."

Garet frowned. "Why? Does it have anything to do with what you were talking to her about last night?"

"Yeah," Isaac admitted. "...I don't think Felix's son is dead."

…

**Author: **Well, there you go. Another chapter. This one's a bit on the short side, but that's only because I was working on it, and realized what I was typing went with the next chapter better than this one. I feel bad for Amiti in this chapter. He needs someone to cheer him up, doesn't he? (Hint: You get the first real Stormshipping in this fic next chapter.^^ Not counting the times Karis was inexplicably worried about a certain Adept.)

Lol, the children. I can see what kind of person that third one is going to be someday. "How could you not know?" Taken right from the game:)

On a side note... Notice Rief's slip of the tongue at the start of this? Isaac's comments at the end? ...Maybe more people know more than others realize? That's all for now.^^

**Just a fan: **I don't know... I wouldn't throw out any theories just yet. *Points at last few lines.* Thanks for the comment about Alex. It's very hard to work with him, because I want him to have good in him, without taking away what makes Alex who he is to everyone. You know, ambiguous. Glad you think I'm pulling it off so far. As for Felix... All I can say is that will be fully explained later, and that he _has_ done his homework. In other words, he knows more than Alex gives him credit for. I love your idea of the "Society of Miserable Masked People." It made me laugh.**  
**

**smasherthekeybladebearer: **Actually, the Sun Saga in game pretty much ends where the games do: immediately after the Golden Sun. There's a short break in Prox, that's it. Game over. I'm pretty much making all of this up, besides the references to stuff that actually happened. Sorry. I'm as eager to find out the real truth as anyone else. (Lol-The real truth.)**  
**

**The Shadow of Wings: **I've gotten that from others, too. It might seem a bit disturbing at the moment, but I plan to explain his motives sooner or later. Bear with it:) I'm trying to work more characterization into this. And rest assured: I can promise you at this point at least seven of the eight will be seen for sure by the end of this fic _in person_. Beyond that... I can't say. And sorry about the though-thought thing-I've noticed that in hindsight, too. My spellcheck doesn't catch pesky things like that. It drives me nuts. Normally I'm really good at catching those things. I'll keep watch for that twice as hard now:)

**Mystwalker: **Thank you. Hope you enjoy this chapter. I can't wait to read your new chapter:) And yeah-You will learn the rest of Felix's story by the end of this. It's pretty sad. :(**  
**


	11. Harmony

_Chapter Eleven: Harmony_

That night, Amiti stood outside by lake Barai, staring out over the water by himself. Or so he thought, until he heard soft footsteps behind him. He didn't have to turn around to know who it was.

Karis put a hand on his shoulder, squeezing gently. He looked at her, and saw understanding in her eyes. Amiti knew she'd seen him go out earlier that evening, and smart as she was, knew he hadn't yet returned. "It's late, Amiti. You need to rest if you're going to be awake for the funeral and coronation tomorrow."

Amiti smirked faintly, then shuddered slightly and tried to smile instead. Karis's brow wrinkled in worry, and he chuckled a bit. "Not to mention the celebratory dance afterwards."

Karis frowned. "Yeah... I'll be skipping out on that."

Amiti blinked in surprise. "Really? Why?" He tried to hide his disappointment.

Karis shrugged. "I... can't dance."

Amiti smiled, and said, "Yes, you can."

Karis frowned at him. "How do you know?"

Amiti shook his head. "...Well, you can _fence_, can't you? Don't deny it, I've seen you fight often enough."

Karis rolled her eyes. "That's totally different."

Amiti shook his head. "Only because you look at it that way. If you can fence, you can dance. Trust me. I've heard battle called a dance of swords before. Take away the sword... And what you have left is a dance."

Karis shook her head. "I don't buy it."

"No, really!" Amiti said, holding out his hands as he sank into what Karis easily recognized as a fencing stance. "It's true. Here, let me show you."

Karis reluctantly followed his lead, though it felt silly without a sword. Amiti smiled and feinted at her as he would in swordplay, only tweaked it so that instead of stabbing her he caught hold of her hand.

"Now what?" She asked, raising an eyebrow at him doubtfully.

"Dodge," Amiti said, smirking.

Karis turned as she would to dodge an attack, and Amiti caught her other hand as she did so. Karis was stunned. It really probably did look like a dance. Amiti knew she'd caught on, and released her hands, stepping back away from her. "See?" He asked. Then, quietly, he added, "You should come."

Karis frowned. "I don't have anything to wear."

Amiti smiled, bowing to her. "Just leave that to me as well."

...

The funeral the next day was dreary enough as it was, but when it started raining, Amiti could have sworn several people glanced at him as though they thought he were the one responsible. He was pretty sure his powers had nothing to do with it. It didn't rain when he was sad. More often than not, rain comforted him. It was his element, after all, he'd always had an affinity for it.

He also caught Karis giving him a worried stare when it was his turn to say a few words about Paithos. He was grateful for it. At least he knew he wasn't the only one who felt the way he did.

He'd thought about what he would say for a long time. All the things he _could_ say. How Paithos had loved his family first and foremost. How he'd lied to protect them. How Amiti could never hope to match his Uncle's memory. But all this left him when he stood there, in the rain, before the people he was soon to rule.

"May his memory live forever in our hearts," Amiti said, for once his voice sounding absolutely sure. "Paithos—your king, the man who I loved as a father, and who loved me as his son."

The somber cheer that rang through the crowd told him he'd said the right thing.

After the funeral was concluded, the procession came indoors to the throne room, where Amiti's new advisor stood holding the crown of Ayuthay. Before his people, he bowed, and the crown was bestowed upon him. "Long live Amiti!"

The cheer echoed through the entire crowd, ringing against the stone of the city, bouncing down the streets like drops of rain. "Long live the King!"

Then, Amiti went up to his new chambers to prepare for the dance. It was customary—even as they mourned the dead, they celebrated their passing in a way as well. It was an ending and a beginning at once. A King's death was something sorrowful... But a coronation should be celebrated.

He hoped all would turn out all right in the end.

Once he was ready, he walked out into the hall and towards the ballroom. He saw Matthew and Tyrell chatting in the hall, both looking uncomfortable in their dress clothes. He couldn't help but smirk at the sight of them. The suits didn't suit them, not really.

"Well, look at the new King in his fancy white suit," Tyrell chuckled. He was obviously trying to cheer Amiti up by teasing him. "And a cape to match."

Amiti held out an arm, revealing that the underside of the cape was, in fact, royal purple. Besides the white, all his usual colors were there. Matthew whistled. "Not bad," he said. "But you _are_ King, after all."

Amiti smiled at his friends.

"Not bad yourself," Sveta said, coming around a corner. Matthew blushed as he held out an arm. Sveta took it and they both waved as they went on their way.

Amiti raised an eyebrow. "Well," he said. "She looks nice in silver."

Tyrell scoffed. "I didn't know she was the one who'd asked him. I thought he was going with..."

At this moment, Tyrell turned, and his eyes widened. Amiti followed his gaze, too, though he already knew who would be there.

…

Karis looked at herself in a mirror, amazed at Amiti's selection of dress for her. It was shimmery and flowing, an ambiguous color that was neither blue nor green and yet both at once. It moved like wind on water around her. It was beautiful, and it fit her perfectly. She undid her ponytail, letting her hair settle on her shoulders in waves. She spun, and the dress drifted with her. It was surprisingly comfortable, too.

"I am going to have to thank him," She muttered happily to herself, blushing slightly. "He knows me better than I thought."

Karis sighed, still not exactly looking forward to this, and wandered gracefully down the hall. It was the dress, she knew, it made her feel too regal. But she really didn't mind. She saw Sveta ahead of her in the hall, wearing a beautiful silver dress. It looked like moonlight. She'd done her hair differently, too, bound it up around her head like a crown. It looked nice.

She saw Sveta walk off with Matthew... And saw Amiti speaking with Tyrell. Amiti's cloak looked stunning, too, pure white with accents of purple and gold that only made the white look whiter. He almost glowed... But that was true of Amiti normally.

They both turned and saw her at almost the same moment. The surprised look on Tyrell's face was priceless... The look on Amiti's something even more so. For just an instant, Karis was sure she'd seen shock, awe, and longing all written on his face at once, but then he smiled and all that vanished.

"There you are, Karis," Amiti said, bowing and offering her his hand.

Tyrell looked from Karis to Amiti then back again. "Wait a minute... I thought Karis was going with..." He glanced down the hall after Matthew and Sveta. "...Nevermind."

Amiti shook his head. "And who are you waiting for, Tyrell?"

Tyrell frowned, "Nobody."

"Aw," Karis said. "Did you forget to ask someone? Or did she say no?"

Tyrell frowned. "I don't _have_ anyone _to_ ask, for your information. At least I'm not alone in that, though. Eoleo's girlfriend is back in Champa... That is, if you believe him when he says he has one at all."

"Well, maybe you can dance with him," Karis giggled. Tyrell turned red in annoyance.

Amiti chuckled. "Come on, Karis. Time to go." He held his hand out to her.

She took it, gently, and they walked together in silence. Karis knew he needed all the friendship he could get. That was why she was going through with this, even though she didn't really want to. Why he'd chosen her, of all people, to dance with was beyond her, but she respected his wishes. It was the least she could do, to be there for him now.

"Just don't think about it, Karis," Amiti muttered. "It will come naturally to you. You're an expert, just go with the flow."

"Right," she said, but she couldn't help but feel nervous anyway.

…

When they came out into the ballroom, it seemed as though all eyes turned to the two of them. Karis tried not to pay them any heed, but in her instinctive scanning of the crowd she couldn't help but notice that Rief and Himi were standing next to each other, and Eos was all by herself in the corner. Well.

"Now, Karis," Amiti said, gently pulling her along by her arm towards the center of the floor. "Just like before..."

She nodded, and they stood apart, as if they were preparing to fence. Amiti assumed a tall, graceful stance with one arm held out, like a dragon preparing to strike. At least, that's what Karis's trained eyes saw. Karis herself assumed a lower stance, like a tiger crouching before a pounce. Of course, both stances had been modified. Amiti stepped forward, and she stepped to the side. It really was easy, she realized, once she'd cast it in a different light. It was like a swordfight, and that she could understand.

They danced around each other in their strange, fluid forms. Karis had entirely forgotten where she really was, she was so caught up in the dance, in Amiti's every move. The entire room had gone still and silent, watching, waiting. Amiti smirked, knowing no one here would realize that their "dance" was a sword-form, and they'd probably try to imitate it without success.

Amiti swooped toward her, in a mock strike. Karis knew, were this a two person set, this would be a take-down. How was she supposed to imitate that?

"Trust me," Amiti whispered, and Karis nodded, letting herself fall backwards gracefully as if he had struck her, just as she would've done in a fencing set.

Amiti caught her deftly, held her gently in his strong embrace. They were both breathing rapidly from the exertion of the dance, it had really been quite intense. Amiti's face was lightly flushed, but he took her hands and fluidly brought her back to her feet. She was glad he didn't let go, or she might not have been able to stand. Why did she feel so lightheaded?

Their audience let out a roar of applause, and Amiti quickly bowed to them and pulled Karis away from them with him, trying to disappear entirely.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Nothing," he said, "I just need some air."

No one saw the two of them slip outside, into the cool night air as they wandered towards the shores of Lake Barai. The rain had stopped for the moment, but the sky still looked ominous.

Once they came to the shore, Amiti sighed and sat down, letting his fingers trail into the water. "That's better. It was too crowded in there, wasn't it?"

"Yeah," Karis said, sitting next to him. "Thanks, by the way. This dress is lovely."

Amiti looked at her, then smiled faintly. "I thought you'd like it. It... It belonged to my mother."

Karis started. She'd guessed as much, but she hadn't expected Amiti to say anything. "Then I wish I could thank her for letting me borrow it as well."

Amiti's face was impossible to read. He ran his fingers through the water, finally stopping when they found the stem of a white water lily. He pursed his lips slightly, then plucked it. "Come with me," he said, quietly. He stood and started to walk down a path that led away from the lake and the palace, and towards a hill that was lightly covered in small white flowers that were shaped like stars.

Karis followed him, her feet light and silent on the grass. He never once looked back to see if she really was on her way. He trusted her that much, Karis realized. He didn't even doubt her in the slightest.

Finally, Amiti stopped, and Karis came up behind him. He knelt down, brushing the wild grass away from what was obviously an old tombstone. Karis felt a chill as she realized where Amiti had brought her. Sure enough, once all the grass was cleared away the name was clearly legible. Veriti.

"Mother," Amiti said, simply. He quietly placed the white lily below her name. Then he looked up at Karis, and nodded towards her.

"Thank you," she whispered, and it did not feel silly at all.

Amiti smiled sadly, and stood, putting an arm around Karis's shoulders. "Uncle always said that white flowers were her favorites, like these little ones that grow on the hill. That's why I always bring her a white lily from the lake when I come by. White for mother, water for... for me. It just feels right. Like... Well, like everything is in harmony."

"Harmony," Karis repeated, and she smiled at him.

Amiti shrugged, letting go. "Let's get back. People are bound to notice we've disappeared. Now's not really the time to visit a grave. We should be celebrating."

"Right," Karis said, and they started back.

…

When they came back to the shores of the lake, Amiti hesitated. He wasn't ready to go back yet, but he didn't know what he should do.

Karis solved that problem for him. "It was fun, by the way," she said. "Normally I hate things like this... That's the real reason I didn't want to come tonight. But... This one was different. I actually liked it."

Amiti smiled. "Yeah. Same here." He said, looking at her. She was only an arm's breadth away. He had a very hard time controlling his emotions, keeping his face straight. More and more, he'd been thinking of her at strange times. He wasn't sure why... But he wanted to be. "You were amazing," he said, hesitantly.

Karis flushed, and said, "So were you. It was your idea, after all." She met his gaze, and he saw her shiver. Maybe it was just the cool air. Maybe. But he had a feeling it wasn't. "...And you lent me the dress, too."

Amiti smiled. "Keep it," he said. "You look beautiful."

Karis didn't wait for Amiti to make a move—she moved to him, catching his mouth in a tentative kiss. He was caught completely off guard by it, but that didn't stop him from kissing her back. At least, not until Alex's face swam before his vision, and he remembered the truth he was still hiding from Karis, from everyone. Tears welled in his eyes as he pulled away.

He couldn't meet her eyes after that, couldn't bear to see whatever was written on her face. He heard the tone of her voice though, her hurt and confusion mirroring his own. "What is it?" She asked. "What's wrong?"

Amiti shook his head. "I... Not now. I can't... I'm not ready."

Against his better judgement, he glanced up, and met her eyes. To his shock, she did not look angry or dejected at all... Only confused and understanding. She thinks it's because I'm in grief, Amiti realized. That I'm confused because I'm still in shock. Guess that's true enough.

"I'm sorry," Amiti said, offering her his hand as they headed back towards the palace. "Maybe... Maybe some other time."

Karis didn't say anything, only nodded.

No one paid them any heed as they returned, though Matthew, Sveta, Rief, and Himi all noticed and shared a glance.

Karis had to laugh out loud when she saw that Tyrell actually had gone with her idea. He'd gone and found Eoleo. The two of them were in the middle of a complicated pirate dance that Eoleo was trying to teach Tyrell without much success. The sight of Tyrell in a suit dancing like a pirate was just too much. Even Amiti's attempts at holding back failed him and finally he just doubled over with laughter. The looks that had been crossing his face had Himi and Rief giggling, and Sveta, too.

"Thank you, Eoleo," Amiti chuckled. "I needed that."

Eoleo grinned and patted the new King on the back. "Don't mention it, kiddo."

Eos walked up to them. "Good," she said, "but not half as good as we are in Prox."

"Oh yeah?" Eoleo asked. "You're on, girl."

If Amiti had been laughing hard before, it was worse yet at the sight of the big strong pirate and the little lithe Proxian's strange dancing battle. Eos would feint, then skip and leap, even as Eoleo swash-buckled his way across the floor.

It was the best coronation dance in a hundred years. No doubt about it.

…

**Author: **Well, this is the longest chapter so far! Mostly because the bit at the beginning was supposed to be at the end of the last one, but fit here better.

So. This idea came to me a while back, of using swordplay to dance. A long while back. I've been trying to fit it into some story, and this one (I think) it fits perfectly. The inspiration of that idea was, in fact, the late Robert Jordan, if any of you readers know him. For those who don't, in The Wheel of Time there is a race of people who refer to battle as a "dance of spears." That instantly gave me the image of swordfighting as a dance, too, a dance of swords. Which, in turn, led to the idea of using a sword-form as a dance...

Fans of Rurouni Kenshin or Avatar the Last Airbender might notice a couple things about it, too. Namely, the "dragon" and "tiger" poses are influenced by the battle between Kenshin and Enishi (if you know what I'm talking about...) and the whole scene reminds me of the Avatar episode "The Headband" in season three. A dancing battle, lol. I myself don't study kendo, though I'd really like to. I am a black belt in karate, though, and my dojo does have a shinai (bamboo sword) that we use in some sets.

And as for the ending, well, I had to lighten things up a bit, didn't I? My stories have a tendency to get pretty dark at points, but I don't like to leave them dark forever.

Careful readers may notice _something_ about the scene at the grave... Kinda creepy, actually.

**Anne Iriel Devay: **Lol. I don't think you're the only one, though. I guess that whole part is confusing... Hopefully, someday, when the whole story is there you can go back and see the foreshadowed points. And yep. I like names that have meaning. Ding! Seth is the name of the Egyptian god of chaos, but according to a couple name cites it can also mean "appointed." Hmm... Interesting. And I'm sure Garet would approve of your slapping Alex... Though Alex probably won't be too happy... You'll probably feel like slapping him again after this chapter. Stupid Alex, even getting in the way of Amiti's relationships now!**  
**

**Mirabelle456: **Well. Thank you. Your review was very nice. I _do_ plan out all my stories, though sometimes they veer away from my plans a bit. My "careful planning" begins with the idea, which I then write an outline of plot events for, which I expand upon as I get more. After that, I try to divide the events evenly into chapters and brainstorm chapter names, but as long as I have the events I'm all set. I know key events and can foreshadow them and everything, and I know how it ends. As for the rest... I'm glad you're enjoying it. Sorry about the occasional mistakes, but I don't use beta readers. I tend to catch most of my own errors, but sometimes they escape me. I have an interesting style, I guess, if I can make someone laugh and cry with one story. But that's true of life, really. Thanks! I'm honored you compare me to someone so awesome:)**  
**

**Mystwalker: **Well, I hope the Stormshipping champion approves of this chapter:) My stories don't tend to only be about shipping or only about action, they tend to blend the two. I was trying out something a bit different than yours, though, having Karis make the first move and all... Though obviously they aren't exactly together yet...

**Tyler: **Thanks!**  
**

**smasherthekeybladebearer: **Well, I do like variety. Too much of any one thing gets a bit dull after a while. I like reading a story that has a lot of good moments in several directions: laugh out loud humor, suspenseful action/violence, a dash of romance that leads to heartwarming scenes, and tragic moments that make your eyes water. I guess what I'd cite as a prime example is, in fact, Rurouni Kenshin. That series has it all.**  
**


	12. Discord

_Chapter Twelve: Discord_

The next morning was brighter, but Amiti was once again in a darkened mood. He well knew what he was going to have to do, but he did not look forward to it. Ayuthay needed it's king now, but he couldn't stay... And he couldn't risk his people not letting him go. He'd made all the arrangements with the rest of the party before they'd gone to bed. They had to spread the news about the Mourning Moon. In addition to that, they now had to look for Seth, try to avoid Alex and the Tuaperang (Amiti had this double-checked off on his mental list), while also trying to discover the motives that drove them. Rief said he thought they should go to Imil first, as it had been a while since he'd been home, and Mia could spread word around the area there—since she was a healer and a Warrior besides, everyone knew her.

Amiti really wasn't looking forward to that. There was no denying that he took after his father in appearance. Mia had once been very close to her cousin, she was bound to see the resemblance. Would she trust Amiti? Would anyone, when they found out?

Amiti sighed. "They know me better than that," he said. "The truth, when I'm ready to reveal it, won't change anything one bit. I hope..." He shook his head. "No time for that now."

He gathered what was left to bring with him, and snuck out into the darkness before dawn.

The others were already waiting outside the city, each in a different state. Matthew, Tyrell, Takeru, and Rief all looked like they should still be in bed, though Matthew was trying to look more awake. Kraden, Himi, Eoleo, and Karis all appeared calm, but it was still obvious they weren't fully awake yet. Eos had a kind of uneasy energy about her, as though she was ready to go, much like Amiti.

"Ready?" Matthew yawned.

Amiti nodded. "Let's go before I think twice about this."

Karis and Rief frowned, but didn't say anything. They knew very well that this was the only way.

"Then follow me," Matthew said, tiredly adjusting his scabbard and fixing his scarf as he silently began the journey north. They were going to try to go through the treacherous pass northwest of Kaocho, the one Blados had warned them against before, but they didn't have time to spare.

Eos came up beside Amiti as the sun came up on the horizon, the light behind her casting an odd halo about her. "Do you feel it too?" She asked. "The discord in the air? Something's about to happen."

Amiti nodded, his brow wrinkling. "It could just be the threat we know is out there."

"I think it's more than that." Eos said. She didn't say anything else after that.

…

The mountains were harder to climb than they'd anticipated, but having a bigger party made it easier. They made use of various Psynergies to get up to the top, where passage was possible, if only just. The pass obviously hadn't been used in a while, it was in a sorry state of repairs.

"Why do you think it's so ruined?" Tyrell asked Rief.

"Do you expect me to know everything?" Rief asked, turning to Kraden. Kraden only shrugged.

Eos hissed. The group turned to her. "It's... A lot of people think this pass is cursed. Little wonder. It was ruined when... Twenty years ago, during the first Mourning Moon."

Kraden frowned. "You're hiding something, Eos."

Eos sighed. "Look. I don't want to talk about it. Duh. So don't bother me if you know what's good for you."

Karis frowned. "You sure you don't want to tell us?"

Eos nodded. "You can ask someone who was actually there, rather than me. I've only... heard about it."

Kraden looked as though something had dawned on him, but he kept his mouth shut for once. "I hope we meet who you speak of soon. I must admit I'm quite curious."

Eos shrugged, and that was that. The group continued on their way. Their journey was uneventful, but this only got them even more agitated. Usually, when nothing happened for a while it meant something big was bound to happen. They'd had too much peace for too long. On top of that, the others were starting to feel the discord in the air, too.

They had almost crossed to the other side when their luck ran out. At the end of the range stood a figure, one Amiti, Eos, and Takeru knew all too well. Only, this time, Diamond had her long, thin blade in hand. "Hello, children," her tone was sardonic, her smile obviously faked.

"Diamond..." Eos hissed.

The party drew their weapons and readied their wills. Fighting Diamond, they found, was like fighting a demonic angel. Her blade gave her a range rivaling that of Blados, but she was faster, and more often than not would leave behind no trace but the echoes of her laughter. It was nothing like Clovos's cloaking power, it was done with pure speed. The party began to tire, and yet not one of them had managed to even touch her.

"Okay, children," Diamond's voice came from nowhere. "Playtime's over!"

The air turned bitterly cold, succeeding in slowing their reactions further. Eos let out a gasp as Diamond appeared behind her and pulled her away from the others, her sword resting on the Fire Adept's neck. "Eos!" Takeru shouted.

"Enough," This voice came from further down the pass. A tall, dark haired man wearing a strange mask and a long, dark green cape walked up behind her. "No mortal wounds. You were sent to direct them as Al... as Arcanus said, not kill them."

Diamond humphed, and then smiled. "So, Arcanus sent you after me, did he? Figures." She sheathed her weapon and pulled Eos up by her collar to look into her eyes. "You got lucky, girl."

Eos's eyes flickered over to the man, confusion written in them. The man's hands clenched into fists. "Put her down, Diamond. Now."

Diamond frowned. "Fine." She threw Eos back at the others, who only barely managed to catch herself. Eos winced in pain as the rock dug into her skin.

"Is that all the fight you have in you? You'll never survive to finish the quest we have for you..." Diamond turned to the man. "Well? Are you going to help me beat them or not?"

The man's face turned towards the party, though he seemed to linger longer on Eos, Kraden... and Amiti. "I didn't plan to fight them," he said. "You seemed to be doing well enough on your own."

"Don't you think we're beaten enough, F—Fool?" Eos whimpered.

"Fool," he said. "I guess that's what I am. But remember—the Fool is the wild card in the deck. Never underestimate a fool."

Kraden frowned. "I find it hard to believe that's really how you..."

The man turned to Kraden. "Oh, really Kraden? I made choices that surprised you before, didn't I? How's this one? You, Isaac's boy," He pointed at Matthew. Matthew stared at him in confusion. "Go to Lemuria... You'll find the information you need in the library there, where they still have records ancient enough to speak of that which now only passes as legend."

"Lemuria?" Rief, Karis, Matthew, Amiti, Eoleo, and Kraden all said simultaneously.

"That's right," he said. "Now... If you'll excuse us..." He turned to Diamond. "It's time we were on _our_ way."

"Oh, no you don't!" Eos shouted, angry.

"Eos, let him go."

This voice came from the west, which didn't make much sense because the only thing in that direction was a rise followed abrubtly by a sheer drop. No one could've snuck up from that direction... Yet obviously _someone _had.

Eos's face paled in shock, and everyone else looked up, including the masked man. In fact, the masked man seemed quite startled.

On the ridge sat a lean, young man with violet eyes that were all but hidden under his unruly sandy brown hair. He was holding a device that looked somewhat like the glider Amiti had used to escape the zeppelin, only it looked much more primitive. A large sword was strapped to his waist. However, in general, his outfit looked more Proxian than anything.

"Seth!" Eos shouted, and Seth jumped down from the ridge, nodding at her, though his eyes were fixed on the masked man.

"Well?" Seth asked, "Are you leaving or not?"

The man didn't say anything, just turned and walked away briskly. Diamond reluctantly followed him, anger glinting in her eyes.

"A fool you are indeed," she said to him. "We weren't supposed to just _give_ them that information, they were supposed to work for it." She gestured at some of the lower soldiers, directing them towards the party of heroes. Felix frowned at her, but decided to let it go. They'd held their own against her, surely they could take some common foot-soldiers pretty easily.

"I... will not fight. Not if it involves..." He shook his head. "...Innocent children. I have much to discuss with Arcanus... He forgot to mention a few important points in our last talk."

Diamond pouted. Arcanus had hardly spoken to his underlings before, then _this_ guy shows up, and suddenly he's having long discussions with him. They _had_ to know each other. She was sure of it. But... How much did this guy know?

…

**Author: **A few notes on this chapter, starting with just _how hard_ it was to write this one. It took so long because I had to keep second-guessing my characterization. Felix is so hard to write at the moment for two reasons. One, I don't want to give away everything yet, so he _feels_ out of character (but really isn't, I hope), and two, I'm still torn between a couple ideas regarding him. Sigh. Hope it's okay, though. Seth, basically, looks like Felix, only with lighter hair and violet eyes, the ponytail included. I guess it's obvious by now, so I'll add... His hair is darker than his mother's. Yeah. She's Sheba.

Also, regarding Diamond... Final Fantasy VII/Kingdom Hearts fans ought to see the Sephiroth parallel. If you've (gasp!) never heard of him before, go look up a video of a battle against him (the videos of Kingdom Hearts II are particularly awesome.) I've only faced him in Kingdom Hearts/KHII, but wow. KH fans may also see a bit of Larxene in her (creepy laugh/speed) and Rurouni Kenshin fans may see an insane female Battosai. Up to you, I kind of considered them all... But mostly Sephiroth/Larxene.

Another note on the card theme: Tarot is the older card theme that _led_ to modern deck themes. Swords became Spades. Cups became Hearts. Coins became Diamonds. Wands became Clubs. Also, these were _tied to elements and temperaments_. Swords=Air (clever/intellectual but often fierce), Cups=Water (emotional matters, feminine), Coins=Earth (physical, health, wealth, and growth), and Wands=Fire (will, passion, and power, masculine). Weird, huh? In any case, Golden Sun has already messed that up, so I'm taking a bit of creative leeway with it. Diamond wielding coins? I like swords better. Note that Clovos's club is in fact more like a staff/wand, but club sounds much more...manly.

Felix's connection with the Fool is a bit of a twist I rather liked, myself. It is the Zero of the Arcana, the man at the start of a journey or the end of one. The wild card. The card of deception... The card that can win it all or lose it all. The opposite of Ace, the highest number. Fitting, I feel.

**smasherthekeybladebearer: **Lol. If it wasn't obvious by now, I am a huge Kingdom Hearts fan. So thanks a bunch, and may the Keyblade be with you too.^^ Hope you like this chapter:)**  
**

**Just a fan: **:) Here's more GBA cast... And more coming soon, I promise. As for Rief, he _is_ a smart kid after all... I'd be surprised if he _didn't_ put two and two together. And finally, I do pay much attention to names, obviously, so... Seth was intentional. As was Eos- Saturn is a Roman god, Minerva, too. Eos is Greek, not Roman... But sounds less girly than Aurora. She's definitely _not_ an Aurora... So yeah. Greek it is. Still kind of ironic, considering that the Greeks described her as "gentle dawn." Lol. I love mythology and legends.**  
**


	13. The Warrior of the Wind

_Chapter Thirteen: The Warrior of the Wind_

The party was still recovering from the draining fight against Diamond when the Tuaperang soldiers showed up. "Aw, come _on_." Tyrell complained.

Karis and Rief, tired as they were, used their group healing spells. Luckily, Eos was also a group healer, and she gave them a bit of a break by casting Aura a couple times. Seth was the only one among them who was still totally fresh, and he smiled at them, drawing his sword and unleashing incredible Jupiter Psynergy. Luckily it didn't take too long to wipe out the soldiers.

"Nice job, Seth!" Matthew said, grinning at him.

Seth didn't even smile, just shrugged. "You looked like you needed some help," he said, his eyes distant as he stared in the direction Diamond and Felix had gone.

Kraden frowned, looking at him, as did Eos. "Seth..." Eos said, "Why did you let him go?"

Seth shook his head. "There's no point in trying to stop him, is there?"

Eos frowned. "I guess not, but..."

Kraden interrupted her, saying, "Seth, I'm sorry, but there's something I have to ask you. That man..."

Seth sighed. "Yes, Kraden. That was Felix." A moment later, he added, "My father."

To this, everyone just stared at him, wide eyed in shock. Matthew, especially. "Felix... Your father?" He asked. "That means you're..."

Seth took one look at Matthew and nodded. "Yeah. Your cousin."

Matthew, despite everything else that meant, grinned. "Awesome."

Eos frowned. "Seth, what are you doing here?"

Seth looked at her, regret written all over his face. "I'm here because this is where the wind led me. Same reason I left Prox. I've been following Felix, trying to find out what he's doing."

It didn't escape the others that Seth was calling his father by his name. Amiti, especially, sympathized with that.

Kraden frowned. "Have you found out anything?" He asked.

Seth frowned, then nodded. "Yeah. Sort of. I think he's trying to get information from them... But I don't know what. So let him," Seth crossed his arms. "If that's what he wants, let him."

"So why did you go after him?" Eos asked, her voice strained to the surprise of the rest of the party. It was obvious she was struggling to keep her emotions under control. "Why did you leave me all alone? Felix has always been like that... What makes this time different?"

Seth looked at her, pained. "Eos... It's not that I wanted to desert you and Karst... Just... There's more to this than just me. There's something out there... calling out to me." Seth's gaze went skyward, towards the west. "I have to find out what."

Kraden frowned. "Seth, I know this might be too personal... But do you know what happened...?"

Seth frowned, turning away. "No. No, I don't. Don't ask me." He glanced up, meeting Kraden's gaze unflinchingly. "I was only a baby then, last time I was here. You can't expect me to remember... All my earliest memories are of Prox. I don't remember anything, anyone else. I thought I was Karst's until Felix showed up out of the blue when I was seven and I found out the truth. He came by every once in a blue moon, even then. When I was twelve, he told me I ought to go see other parts, like Contigo. So I did."

Kraden nodded, slowly. "I see... So he never spoke to you of the Mourning Moon?"

Seth glanced away. "Well, yeah. When I was ten, he might have mentioned it. That was when the last one happened. He seemed really shaken up. He warned me to never go near a vortex... Kind of like how he wasn't too happy about me making my glider."

Kraden chuckled a bit at that. "He probably doesn't want you to fall and break your neck. Heavens know, considering your parents that's a real possibility."

At this moment, there was a tremor in the pass, and everyone frowned. Matthew spoke up once it ended. "Not that this conversation isn't interesting, but I doubt this is a safe place to be."

The others nodded, and Matthew looked at Seth. "You coming with us?"

Seth nodded. "I don't see why not. It would seem in our best interests at the moment. If Eos trusts you and your friends, so do I."

Matthew held out his hand, and his cousin shook it.

_Seth has joined your party!_

A slightly worried expression crossed Matthew's face, and Karis frowned. "What is it, Matthew?"

"Nothing," Matthew sighed.

…

On the way down from the pass, they could clearly see Port Rago at the foot of the mountains by the sea. And, consequently, could see all the ships passing by. One in particular, however, caught the eyes of Rief, Kraden, and Eoleo. Rief's expression brightened considerably, and he caught Amiti's arm, pointing. "Amiti, that's _his_ ship! Captain Piers must be in port!" He looked at the others, barely able to contain his excitement. "Come on, let's go! Please? I want to see them!"

Kraden laughed at Rief's actions, seeing that the boy was usually quiet. Amiti was smiling, too. "I don't see why not," Amiti said. "I'd like to meet Piers, too. And Nowell."

Matthew smiled and nodded. "All right. Port Rago it is!"

With that, the group descended the rest of the mountain and headed into the port.

It was very busy there, more so than usual. Sveta smiled faintly, and said, "Business must be doing well because of the repair work needing done. That's what all this fuss is about." She laughed a little, looking at Rief, Amiti, and Matthew. "I hope we can find Piers."

Rief smiled. "He's kind of hard to miss..."

They walked down the street, heading for the end of the dock where Pier's ship was moored. They just stood there for a little while, wondering about all the places this famous ship had been in the past. Some, like Matthew, Karis, Rief, Tyrell, and even Seth had grown up with the stories of the Warriors of Vale. Himi and Takeru, too, but on a lesser scale. Eoleo had, or course, already seen this ship before, first hand... Though he'd only been a toddler at the time. It was strange to be standing before it.

Kraden sighed, reaching out with a hand to pat the side of the ship. "Ah, what memories. This is it, children, the very ship that carried Felix and the others all around the world back in the day..."

The low sound of laughter came from behind them then, and was followed by a voice to match. "Getting nostalgic in your old age, dear old friend?"

Kraden chuckled, even as the others turned to see a blue-haired man who hardly looked thirty walking casually towards them, carrying various supplies. Nowell was following him, but when she saw Rief, she grinned and waved.

"Hello again, Piers," Kraden smiled.

Piers walked up onto his ship and set down the stuff, then glanced back at the party. He seemed to sum them up in a few moments, and then he smiled. "Ah. I see you're keeping up with the times, master scholar! Quite a party you have there, Matthew."

He nodded to each of them in turn. "Let me see... Karis, Tyrell, Eoleo... Rief, of course... You must be Sveta... And the children of Susa and Kushinada, Takeru and Himi. My, Takeru, you take after your father!" Piers laughed. His gaze turned to Amiti, and he nodded. "Prince Amiti of Ayuthay."

Amiti frowned, lowering his head, and Piers raised an eyebrow before his expression changed entirely. "Oh, I am sorry. I had heard Paithos was in a bad way, but I didn't realize... Forgive me."

"It's all right," Amiti said. "Here, with my friends, it's just Amiti, anyway."

Piers nodded. "It's an honor to finally meet all of you. Kraden has written, of course, and told me all about you. Most of you, that is..." He glanced at Seth and Eos and frowned. "I don't know your names, but you look like you're from Prox... Mostly..."

Seth nodded, meeting his eyes. "I'm Seth, and this is Eos. We are from Prox, mostly. I'm... I'm the son of Felix and Sheba. She's Karst's daughter."

Piers came over to the others, looking at Seth and Eos. "I see... That's who you reminded me of. I knew it. I just wasn't sure I believed it... You know, we all though you died with Sheba."

Seth nodded. "Yeah. Sorry my father forgot to mention that to you."

"He never even visits us." Matthew told him. "I don't get it."

Seth shrugged, and Piers frowned. "That's just how he is, I guess," Piers said. "He was completely heartbroken after losing Sheba."

"He just needs time..." Kraden sighed.

Piers shrugged, shaking his head. "I know that's what they say, but I find time does little to heal the heart. Any reminder of what was can open an old would all over again."

Kraden nodded. "True. That's probably why he left Seth with Karst..."

"Enough of this," Seth said, interrupting them.

Matthew and the others nodded. "Yeah, we need to get to hurry," he said. "We're on our way to Belinsk to get Eoleo's ship so we can sail around and spread word about the Mourning Moon."

"Not to mention research how to stop it, if that's even possible," Rief said.

"And we need to go to Lemuria," Karis added. "Felix said there was information there we needed."

Amiti frowned. "I don't like playing into Alex's hands."

Piers stared at them in shock at this. "Wait, say what?" He asked. "You've seen Felix? And... Alex?"

Eoleo huffed. "Well, yeah. Or, as Alex seems to prefer lately, _Arcanus_."

Piers frowned. "I can tell this is a long story... You can fill me in on the way."

They all started in shock, and Amiti asked, "Huh? What do you mean?"

Piers smiled, gesturing to his ship. "I mean, I'm offering to take you there on my ship. I can get you to Belensk by dawn tomorrow."

The group smiled in unison. Of course Matthew agreed, and the party got on board.

…

**Author: **The title for this one is a call out to one of my favorite directors, Hayao Miyazaki. It's also a reference to the Jupiter Warrior Adept I promised earlier: Seth! Hope this chapter fills in a little more of that backstory everyone's dying to know.

Plus, there's another moment in here poking fun at the whole "so and so just joined your party" bit. Probably the funniest one I've ever seen in a game is in Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light. Long story short, a cat joins your party at one point. The dialogue leading up to it was priceless.

Also, another Warrior of Vale makes an appearance, Captain Piers! This chapter was fun to write, but the next few I'm really looking forward to.

**smasherthekeybladebearer: **Lol. I know. I'm still working on that. I only fought Sephiroth a few times on a friend's file, and now that I own it I'm stuck at an earlier point. Sigh. Oh, well. Sorry that chapter wasn't the greatest. Sometimes I have to write chapters just because something _had_ to happen at a certain point. Hope you like the next few better:)**  
**

**Anne Iriel Devay: **Ha ha. True. It is pretty messed up, I'll admit it. Consider this: they're either half-siblings or Seth was adopted by Karst. Notice that the identity of Eos's father is still untouched. Other than that... All will become clear by the end of this story. I hope.**  
**

**Kaiora: **Glad you're enjoying my humor and shipping. That dance was fun to write:) And yeah- Harmony leads to Discord... But is also a reference to Amiti's Japanese name. (Harumani, which is pronounced Harmony.) I felt pretty clever about that one. Actually, a lot of my chapter names are actually shout outs to various things. I get influenced by stuff I read and watch while I'm writing all the time. As for Eoleo's girlfriend... Lol. I wonder, too.**  
**

**Just a fan: **Lol. I totally agree, Felix probably knows he's pretty crazy on some level. He could use a bump on the head- it might set him straight. And yes. That's the pass. And it _does_ suck to be Felix... No matter how you look at it. As for Diamond, I didn't think of chakrams. And yeah, if she needs a back up, that would work. Thanks.**  
**


	14. A Mother's Love

_Chapter Fourteen: A Mother's Love_

On board, as it had been a long day for all the party, Piers told them to bunk belowdecks while he and Kraden kept the ship on course. They split up among the different rooms, marveling at how large the ship was on the inside.

Amiti was surprised when Rief asked if they could bunk together, but he didn't mind. The other groups were just as strange, some even stranger. Karis, Himi, and Sveta were in one room, Matthew, Tyrell, and Seth in another, Nowell was with Eos, and Takeru with Eoleo.

Amiti was just settling under the covers of his bed when Rief spoke up. "Amiti?"

"Yes? What is it?" Amiti asked.

"We'll be seeing my mother tomorrow... Are you worried?"

Amiti's brow furrowed. "Why... Should I be?"

There was silence for a minute, then, "No. I guess not."

Amiti frowned. "Are _you_ worried, Rief?"

Rief sighed, and Amiti heard him fiddling with his glasses as he took them off and set them down. "Not really," came his answer. "It's just... I haven't seen her in so long. I'm a bit anxious."

Amiti hesitated, then rolled over and asked, "What's she like? Your mother?"

Rief, from across the room, stared at him. "Well," he said, "I don't know. She's kind, caring, gentle. She hates seeing people hurt, she heals all the wounds she can. She's very comforting."

Amiti propped himself up with an elbow. "What else? How does she treat you and Nowell?"

Rief sat up, shrugging. "She used to hum to us to help us get to sleep every night." His smile was faint, nostalgia clouding his eyes. "She would hold us when we were hurt or sad until we felt better. Oh, and when she kissed our pains, they really did go away. She'd use Ply or something, but we never realized that until later." Rief pouted his lips. "Why do you ask?"

Amiti shrugged, letting his gaze sink. "Well, you know... I don't know what it's like, having a mother. I never knew mine. I mean, I used to pretend I knew her, that I could hear her. But that was just me. I had a nurse, yes, but I don't really remember her, either. It's always Paithos I'll remember best. He was the one who'd comfort me, the one who'd teach me right from wrong." Amiti half-smiled, meeting Rief's eyes. "...But he never sang."

Rief chuckled a bit. "No, I guess not." He frowned again then. "I'm sorry... I know you must feel terrible about losing him."

Amiti lay back down, staring at the ceiling. "Thanks, Rief. It's kind of you to be concerned. It... means a lot to me."

It was silent for a moment, then, but only a moment.

"Amiti?" Rief sounded even more hesitant that usual.

Amiti turned his head to face him again. "Yes?"

Rief frowned. "Um... Well, see... I have something to tell you, something I think you need to know."

Amiti furrowed his brow again. "What?"

Rief took a deep breath, then let it go. "About earlier... When we were talking to Tret Tree... Do you remember what he said to us?"

Amiti frowned. "What did he say?"

"Well, he read each of our auras, and recognized us for the children of the Warriors he'd met before... But, when he read yours, he said your aura was similar to Mia's... My mother's." Rief frowned. "At first, I thought it was because you were a Water Adept, because there was no way what Tret said could possibly be true... That is, until the events at Apollo Sanctum. As soon as Kraden revealed Arcanus to be Alex, it dawned on me... How everything lines up. Amiti, I know this might be hard for you to take, but..."

Amiti sighed. "Alex is my father. Yes, Rief, I... I already know." Amiti smiled faintly. "I found out while he was holding me prisoner."

Rief's eyes widened, then he said, "Oh."

Amiti smiled slightly. "My reaction exactly. It was quite a shock, let me assure you... But it doesn't change anything." Amiti frowned. "Does it?"

Rief smiled and shook his head. "No. You're still the same Amiti we've known all along... I'm sure the others will realize that. You're one of the bravest, most honorable, noblest people I've ever met." Rief snuggled down under his blankets. He paused, then added, "I'm proud that you're my cousin."

Amiti stared at the ceiling, caught completely off guard. Then he smiled, too. "Well, Rief, honestly... You're one of the smartest, kindest people I've ever met. I'm... I'm also proud to call you my cousin."

To himself, Amiti thought, _even if it does mean I have to accept Alex as my father, that much is true. I'm glad to be related to Rief. I only hope the others will take it as well as him._

As if he'd read Amiti's mind, Rief quietly added, "I won't tell the others, Amiti. I'll let you decide when you're ready to let them know. But..." Rief sighed, "You shouldn't be afraid. We all trust you."

Amiti smiled faintly. "I know. Thanks, Rief. Truly."

It wasn't long after that that Amiti heard Rief breathing gently as he fell asleep. Amiti's pulse was still racing, and it was harder for him to calm down. He forced his eyes to remain shut, and made himself imagine something calming, something comforting.

Rief's description of his mother came to mind, and Amiti found himself remembering the images he'd often imagined as a child. Arms cradling him gently, the voice of an angel falling over him like water into Barai Pond, like rain from the heavens. His mother. Veriti.

Amiti felt tears welling up in the corners of his eyes. Sure, he couldn't really remember his mother, but he knew her all the same. He knew her love for him had been strong.

That was all that really mattered.

…

Far away, on the zeppelin belonging to the Tuaperang, Alex stood in the observatory, staring down upon the lands beneath the starry night sky. He sensed that Felix and Diamond had returned, and knew Felix would want to see him.

Yet, he could't pull his thoughts together, couldn't plan out what he was going to say to the man. He found his thoughts straying once again to all the same things. Amiti. Veriti. Mia. His parents. All the things that had led him to this moment, all the things that had yet to come...

He couldn't get those memories out of his head. The memories he'd so long suppressed, left over from times he could never return to. Days in Imil, when his parents were still alive, when he'd been close to his cousin, close to everyone in his clan. Now, those memories were always mingled with the burning memories of how quickly all that was taken away from him. How he himself had almost perished.

It was the difference between them, he knew, what set him apart from Amiti. The boy had never known such hardship, never been so close to death. It changed a person. As a child, Alex had been forced to learn the hard way how much pain was brought by letting yourself love someone. He'd never forgotten. Not once, except...

Except in Ayuthay. He'd let himself slip there, and now he was paying the price.

Alex shook his head, pulling his thoughts together. _Think of Felix_, he chided himself. _What are you going to say to him?_

"That depends on what he has to say to me," Alex sighed.

Moments later, there was a knocking on the door, and Alex opened it with a burst of Psynergy.

Felix stormed in, the air becoming tense around him. "What is the meaning of this? You didn't tell me that... that _he_ would be involved!"

Alex frowned. "You'll have to be more specific, Felix."

Felix sighed loudly, slapping his arms against his sides then crossing them. "My _son_, Alex. Seth."

"Oh," Alex said. "Your son. Of course. You speak as though _I_ knew he'd be there. I had no idea he'd joined Matthew's cause."

"I won't fight him," Felix said, stubbornly.

Alex sighed, shaking his head. "You won't have to. Remember, technically, all the children are on our side. They just don't think they are."

"If they knew the repercussions of what they're doing... They wouldn't be."

"Please, Felix. It's not like it's hurting anyone."

Felix shook his head. "I don't know that. You know I don't trust you."

"Well, good," Alex said, turning to face him. "No one does. No one _should._ Apparently I'm an arrogant bastard who only cares about myself. Just ask Mia. Oh, but you already have, haven't you? She's told you all about me. Everyone knows all about the traitor who turned against his own clan to gain power to sate his unquenchable thirst for it. Oh, yes. You know my whole story, don't you?"

Felix lowered his head. "No. But I doubt you know my whole story, either."

Alex huffed. "Oh, I know more of yours than you think I do. Pity about Sheba, truly." At the mention of her name, Felix winced, and Alex wasn't sure if he felt good about the power he thus had over the man or bad about the tragedy the power was born from. Oh, well. "You seem to be doing well enough now, though. Or am I wrong about your relationship with Karst?"

Felix sighed, walking to the window and staring out it. At least, Alex assumed he was staring out it. Curse his stupid mask. Finally, Felix spoke again. "I don't know. It's complicated."

Alex rolled his eyes. "Either you're with her or you're not."

Felix clenched his hands together. "She loved me, okay, back in Prox? I cared for her, but I never loved her the same way. When I met..." Felix took a deep breath, then continued. "When I met Sheba, I knew she was the one for me." His voice wavered. "Karst could live with that. She still loved me, but she went on without me. It's still the same. I can't love her. I love Sheba, and Sheba alone. I wish I could move on, but I can't. I still can't believe she's really dead. Part of me will never be convinced. She survived so much, so many things. Why not once more?"

Alex frowned. Time to change the subject. "In any case, you won't be fighting Seth. Don't worry. I'll send Diamond and Clovos next time, and you can just... amuse yourself however you choose. You may leave, now."

Felix turned and went to the door, silently. However, he hesitated just once there and said, "You're hiding something. I know you are. I'm going to find out what it is."

Then he let the door slam shut behind him.

Alex sat down as calmly as he could, leaning back into the soft cushions. His trademark smirk lightly crossed his face. Sure, this conversation hadn't gone perfectly... But it could've been a hell of a lot worse.

Now, just to figure out how to ensure that Felix _wouldn't_ find anything he shouldn't...

…

**Author: **This one was incredibly fun to write. I've been planning this conversation between Amiti and Rief for some time. I think it's really sweet. I guess the plot isn't furthered much in this chapter, but they'll get to Imil next chapter and after that things should get more intense. But I gotta have my sweet chapters in there, too. The title, naturally, is derived from their conversation.

A bit more of both Alex's and Felix's backstories in this one, and more to come of both. Enjoy!

**Kaiora: **Lol, thanks. Piers is one of my favorite characters, and I've always loved Miyazaki. Hope you like this chapter!**  
**

**smasherthekeybladebearer: **Thanx.^^ I'm not that dedicated, either. I like plots more than leveling up... Leads to some bad situations where my entire party dies multiple times but I'm too stubborn to go back and train. I have thus become a pretty good strategist, and get most of my level ups from beating bosses in unorthodox ways. On the flip side, in Dark Dawn I actually enjoy leveling up, because the characters are awesomeness.

**Just a fan: **Yes, Mia will be in the next chapter. That really doesn't give anything away. Also, yes, Piers has visited Mia's family. I'm pretty sure he's visited most of the Warriors, excepting... those that vanished off the face of Weyard... Like Felix and Sheba. Speaking of them... I don't mind you badgering me about that. It's probably my favorite plotline, too, besides the Alex one. Naturally it's a big part of this story, because it's greatly influenced by the tragedy of the Mourning Moon. There is a reason he went to Prox. I'll let Felix explain that when he wants to. Suffice to say... Check a map of Angara and take into consideration the changes wrought by the Golden Sun. Then imagine how it would've looked during the Mourning Moon event. As for Karst... I hope this chapter answers a couple questions. Also... It comes up later, but for now I'll let you know Karst's had a pretty rough time, too. Read Felix's comments carefully and you might catch on. As for the exact relationship between Felix, Karst, and Eos... I won't say yet if she's his child, but Felix and Karst have had... intimate relations, shall I say? And to quote Alex in my other fic, the Adept of Ayuthay, "Even the most brilliant man in Weyard can be a fool." Just because you have sense doesn't mean you won't make some pretty senseless decisions.

As for how much Eos and Seth know about the quest... Karst told them the story as she knew it. (Which was actually... _pretty_ unbiased, excepting that unlike the "Sun Saga" in Dark Dawn the Proxians and Felix's party would've been the heroes. And Isaac would've been cast in a darker light, but she'd grudgingly admit he was a hero, too, and he did save her life.) Oh, and Seth knows quite a bit about Sheba. Felix might not have the greatest relationship with Seth, and he might not like talking about the events surrounding the Mourning Moon, but in his favor he _did_ tell Seth a lot about his mother. Hope that answers all your questions, and hope you enjoy the next installations!

**Psyentific: **I'll take that as a compliment.^^ I've said it before that I like short chapters and a long story. This one is far from over. Take that how you will. I'm actually quite pleased with Camelot's efforts, myself... I'm just adding my own flair to this, too. Thank you!**  
**


	15. Family Affairs

_Chapter Fifteen: Family Affairs_

Around midnight, Piers woke Eoleo as he steered into Belinsk. "Tell your crew to follow my lead. Once we part ways, you can return to your own ship."

Eoleo nodded, and left to follow the Captain's orders. Piers thought about mentioning something to the man about what Kraden had told him, but ultimately decided against it. The poor guy had probably heard enough about Briggs already. However, when Eoleo re-boarded the Lemurian's ship with a brisk nod, Piers clapped him on the shoulder silently. Eoleo understood.

Piers continued to sail the ship through the night, speaking with Kraden of several things, varying between discussing the current state of the world and the party's adventures to speaking of the good ole days when it had been Felix and his party trying to save the world. It disturbed Piers greatly, what Kraden had told him about his friend. He could only hope Felix knew what he was doing more than he appeared to, and that his actions were not a sign that he'd finally cracked beneath the weight of his grief. Piers certainly hoped not.

By dawn, as promised, the sight of Mercury Lighthouse and the village below it rose over the horizon. It had been several years since Piers had last visited Mia's family, and the last time she hadn't even been in town. She'd been away with Nowell teaching her daughter her trade, and Piers had spent time with her son instead. It had been interesting. Needless to say, when Kraden and Nowell had taken refuge on his ship, he'd never expected the poor girl to fall for him. He still wasn't sure what he was going to do about that...

The first of the party to wake up and join him above-decks were Amiti and Rief. Rief appeared cheery and bright, but there was a tenseness to him, especially when he glanced at the other Water Adept. Amiti, on the other hand, was serenely calm to the point of being creepy. Piers suspected that beneath that calm surface there was much tension, like a strong current just below the surface of an apparently calm sea. He shivered slightly in the cold air. There was something eerily familiar about the boy.

However, when Amiti shot him a worried smile, the feeling of familiarity all but vanished. "So, that's Imil, then? It's much colder here than in Ayuthay," Amiti said, pulling his white cloak closer around his lean body.

Piers smiled at him, as did Rief. "...You get used to it," Rief said, reassuringly. "It's not so bad after a while. Besides, we've been in the northern regions before. You did fine then."

Amiti nodded. "Yeah, but that was really a whirlwind trip... Not like we were... Like anyone was visiting relatives."

Rief shrugged. "Even so, we never stayed with the other's relatives too long. This is going to be a whirlwind visit, too."

Amiti nodded, and at this moment Nowell and Eos came on deck. Eos didn't say a word, just nodded at all of them and stared out over the sea. Seth snuck up next. Apparently he hadn't bothered to wake Matthew or Tyrell before heading up. He silently walked over to Eos to stand beside her. Rief frowned, thinking.

"Eos, Seth?" He asked, after a moment, pushing his glasses up his nose.

Both of them turned to face him. "Yeah?" Seth asked.

"Prox is pretty cold, too, isn't it?"

Seth smirked, and Eos snickered. "Hell yeah," Seth said, laughing out loud. "It snows nine months of the year..." he went on, "...And there are blizzards the other three."

Eos laughed, too. "Actually, it was pretty warm for about a week last spring. The snow even melted a bit."

Seth smirked. "Let me guess... Then, there was a blizzard."

Eos shrugged, then nodded. "Sure was."

"That's how it always is," he nodded.

Rief shook his head. "Well, I gotta hand it to you guys... That sounds worse than Imil. We do have summer there... Just a really short one."

He glanced worriedly to the approaching shore then, and something else occurred to Amiti. "Rief... There's more to your anxiety than just the time you've been away, isn't there? We passed by here during the Grave Eclipse... And it was under the shadow."

Rief frowned. "I've been trying not to think of that..."

Amiti frowned, worry crossing his face, and he put a hand gently on Rief's shoulder. He really didn't know what to say. As much as he wanted to comfort his cousin, he didn't want to comfort him with words he couldn't be sure were true.

As the sun rose over the ocean, the rest of the party made their way up, too. Matthew and Tyrell went to the stern of the ship and grinned at the sight of Eoleo's familiar ship following the one they were on. Matthew waved at the pirates, and Tyrell went so far as to lean over the side of the ship and shout at them. "Aaaahoy!"

The pirate who was steering Eoleo's ship started, then shouted back, "Quit that, fool! You want to fall overboard?"

Tyrell glanced down, turned blue in the face, then abruptly pulled back away from the edge, laughing nervously. "Forget I did that..."

Matthew rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Sure. Whatever you say, Tyrell. You're lucky no one else saw."

Beg to differ... Karis had to work very hard to keep her face expressionless as she wanted to burst out giggling. Instead, she went over to Rief and Amiti and smiled at them. "So, how're you guys feeling?"

"Anxious..." Rief muttered.

"Not sure," Amiti said, quietly.

Karis frowned. "Well, the sooner we get there, the better. Are we close enough to dock, Piers?"

"Almost. There is a port by the Lighthouse... I'm sailing for that."

"Okay," Karis smiled. "There you go. I bet Mia will be glad to see you, Rief. You, too, Nowell."

Amiti silently clenched his cloak even tighter in his fist. Oh, yes, Mia'd be glad to see those two, no doubt about it. Him? Not so certain. Plus, he wasn't sure he wanted the others to know the truth just yet, he wasn't ready to tell them. Just the thought of it made him feel faint. He could barely contain his worry.

But it was too late for second thoughts. Piers was slowing the ship to a halt in Imil's harbor, and the party was already ready to get off. Amiti took a deep breath, letting it go slowly and watching the cloud that formed as he did so. Then, he followed the others, trying not to think of what he was walking into.

…

Mia was tending to a sick child when she heard the commotion outside. Not sure what the excitement was all about, she cast a stronger Ply than usual and nodded to the child's parents before leaving the house.

What she saw made her smile in greater joy than she'd felt in a long time.

"Mom!" Rief and Nowell shouted in unison as they ran into her arms.

"Hello, Mia!" Piers was grinning broadly.

"Ahoy!" Tyrell chuckled. Matthew and Karis just grinned at her. They were the only ones in the party she'd met before, and even them only briefly. The others were all new faces.

Mostly, that is. When she saw the last one, the one who'd been standing behind the others, she felt cold uncertainty settle over her.

Of all the Warriors, Mia was the one who'd known Alex the best, the one who'd known him in the days when he'd been young and innocent.

It was unmistakable. The boy looked just like he once had. When his eyes met hers, it was only briefly, and then he looked down again, his face pale. Strange. So very, very strange.

Mia felt Rief tugging at her robe, and that caught her attention. She looked down at him, and saw the look in his eyes. "Mother, please. We have much to talk about, but you should know that every person in this party is a trusted friend. Understand? That much I can promise you, even if they are the children of friends and foes alike."

"Yes, even Eoleo is very noble, though he's a pirate," Nowell beamed. "Oh, and Seth and Eos are fine, too, even though they're both from Prox. Eos is Karst's daughter, don't you know? But she's a lot nicer than she looks."

Eos frowned, and Seth burst out laughing.

"Well..." Mia hesitated.

Amiti stepped forward at this moment. "Please, Mia, what Rief says is true. We're all friends here. Allow me to introduce myself properly. I'm Prince..." Amiti caught himself. "...I am King Amiti of Ayuthay, son of the late princess Veriti and adopted son of the late King Paithos. I am most glad to make your acquaintance." He bowed deeply at her, more deeply than he usually bowed to people (which is to say, just shy of how deeply he bowed to the holy trees in Kolima.)

Mia frowned slightly, then sighed. "I can see there is a long story to be heard, isn't there?" Amiti glanced up, meeting her eyes, and she saw then all the turmoil within him, and he nodded. Reluctantly, she let herself smile. It couldn't be helped. He might look like Alex, but he came across as an entirely different personality. It reassured her. She couldn't explain how, but she just knew that she could trust him. He had that kind of air about him.

"All right, then," she said, smiling at everyone. "...We're going to have to go into the sanctum. There's not room enough anywhere else. Come along, all of you."

…

In the sanctum, the party took turns as usual giving out the entire tale. Each sincerely hoped this would be the last time they had to tell it, and realized more and more how tedious it must have been for their parents in their day.

Karis chuckled and turned to Amiti about half-way through it. "No wonder they wrote the Sun Saga... Maybe we should follow their example."

Amiti laughed out loud, momentarily distracting the others, and he quickly caught himself, clapping a hand over his mouth. Mia, surprisingly, beamed at him. He no longer felt anxious at all, he found. Her silent acceptance was very reassuring. He knew she knew, he'd seen that in her eyes the moment she'd seen him. Yet, even Mia was able to see that Amiti was not anything like Alex, and she was easily the one he'd hurt the most with his betrayal. It boded well for him, it did.

"Sorry!" He said, loudly, before turning to Karis and speaking in a whisper as Matthew went on with the tale. "Yes, you're right, Karis. That would be a good idea. What would we call it, though?"

Karis shrugged. Then she grinned. "Maybe, the Moon Saga. Something like that."

Amiti chuckled. "Perhaps." Then he frowned. "But that's a bit misleading. It has nothing to do with the_ real_ moon, after all..."

Karis nodded. "True... We'll think of something, I'm sure. Eventually."

In any case, they finished the tale and decided to rest for a while in the city. Nowell went right back to what she did best, following her mother's example and tending to the ill and wounded around town while she spoke with her old friends Piers and Kraden. The rest of the party went sight-seeing, save Rief and Amiti, who hung out at the base of Mercury Lighthouse, by the Hermes Spring.

Rief stared down into the water, then said, "You know, my... _our_ family has always looked after this place, even when Alchemy was sealed away. Before then, they used to guard this spring from outsiders, as it can be used to heal all ills. Now that has become our duty once again. Funny, isn't it?"

"Indeed," Amiti said, touching a fingertip to the water and watching as one drop fell from the tip back into the spring, making ripples across the surface, distorting his reflection. He smiled sadly. "If only we'd come by a little sooner, we could've taken a swallow to my Uncle back in Ayuthay."

Rief's eyes widened as the truth of this statement dawned on him, and then he looked down in sadness. "I'm so sorry... If only we'd thought of that before it was too late..."

"It's all right, Rief," Amiti said. "No use feeling regret over what could've been. We're here now, we can't change what's happened already."

"That's right. We just have to go where we will, follow the flow of time and fate where it leads us."

Rief and Amiti both started as they turned to the entrance, where Mia stood, all alone. She smiled at them and walked over. Rief smiled at her. "Mother... I do have a question for you."

"What is it?"

"The Grave Eclipse... How did...?"

Mia smiled, shaking her head. "The Lighthouse," was her answer. "Ironic, isn't it? The beacon we once thought would bring us nothing but destruction has now saved us twice."

Amiti's eyes widened as he looked up at the distant light. "I see!" He said, beaming. "The light shone through the darkness, protecting Imil! How fascinating! Incredible!"

Mia laughed brightly. "Ah, you are very refreshing, Amiti. You are the exact opposite of Alex."

Amiti started, staring at her, meeting her eyes. Hers were darkened now with the painful memories. "I must say, when I first saw you, I was very shocked. I still am. But... I heard you speaking with Rief just now, so it is obvious to me that you know who you are."

Amiti frowned, crossing his arms. "Yes. I am the son of Veriti of Ayuthay. Consequently, I was... fathered by Alex... But that does not make him my father. He left my mother after I was conceived, before anyone even knew what had happened. I was kept in the dark of that side of my existence until only recently..."

"They told him he was conceived of divine power," Rief cut in to clarify. "That he had no father."

"Oh, my," Mia said, shocked.

"And only discovered his identity even _more_ recently..." Amiti went on. Then he smirked a bit. "Though, I must say, he seemed as shocked by my existence as I was by his."

Mia shook her head. "Sounds like him... Like the Alex who strove for the Golden Sun." She said, correcting herself. After all, it sounded nothing like the Alex she'd once known, years ago.

Amiti frowned, then he stood and walked over to her, holding his arms open. "I know you were hurt by his betrayal. However... I am not my father. I am glad you see that, and I'm..." He took a deep breath. "I may not be proud to call him my father, but I am proud to be a relative of yours, Mia. It is truly an honor."

Mia smiled, and stepped forward, embracing him. "Then I will trust you and my son. It is an honor to meet you as well. Welcome to the family."

Rief and Amiti positively beamed. It was something to celebrate.

Amiti started, then, and pulled away, looking at her. "Just one thing, though..." He said. "Please, don't say anything to the rest of our party. I... I haven't figured out how to break it to them yet..."

For some weird reason, it wasn't Tyrell Amiti was thinking of, or even Eoleo, the two he'd been the most reluctant to trust before. No, it was Karis he saw in his mind as he said this, it was her he was most anxious to tell. How would she react? ...Why did it matter to him?

Mia smiled at him, nodding agreement. "Fair enough. I won't say a word."

Amiti grinned, bowing. "Thank you," he said.

It was, at least, a start.

…

**Author:** Ah, another fun chapter. I knew Mia would be in this story from the start, and this is the sort of idea that started forming. As for the Grave Eclipse... I was sailing around over the weekend and noticed that... Imil would in fact be under the shadow. You even see the Lighthouse there. Scary.

I hope the reactions feel in character in this chapter. I know I focused mostly on the Water Adepts this chapter... And oddly enough, used a lot of light related imagery toward the end. Kind of funny.

On a separate note, there are some dropped hints in this chapter for where this story is eventually headed. I wonder if anyone will catch on...^^ Consequently, I've already dropped some hints to that before, and no one said anything about them. Oh, well. I'll just wait and see.

Tyrell's still my source of comic relief... sigh. Which means, of course, I'm going to give him a crowning moment in the end of it. Comic relief to the rescue! ...For some reason, that is a frightening thought.

**Anne Iriel Devay: **Well... Actually, Duskshipping is my second choice, if not Lighthouseshipping. Felix/Sheba is seriously my favorite pairing, and if it doesn't happen I will seriously be very disappointed. At least in my story it did exist at one point. Consequently... Duskshipping might actually be dead already, if Karst didn't actually survive. That's why I killed off Agatio. It felt more believable that way.

As for Felix/Alex/Amiti... Lol. Don't worry. I'll take the mask off for that. Felix: Oh, no you won't. Me: *Grabs mask and pulls* Ha ha. Felix:*Covering face* NOOOOOO! Alex: You're pathetic. Felix: Curse you, Alex. *Snickers* Like you aren't? Alex:*Flushed* SH-Shut up!

...Okay, maybe not like that.

**smasherthekeybladebearer: **When in doubt... Check Golden Sun Universe! ...Matthew learns Grand Gaia at level 54. Most of the others also learn their last techniques around then. Hope that helps!**  
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**Kd7sov: **Thanks for your review! Your question's answered farther into the story than you are now, so I'll just let you find it when you read on. Hope you like it! I have to agree with what you say about Felix, though. It really is what he'd do in his situation.**  
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	16. Snow

_Chapter Sixteen: Snow_

The next day, the party went to the harbor to help Piers stock up for their trip. Piers had agreed to show them the way to Lemuria, where Felix had told them to go. It wasn't that they wanted to play right into Alex's hands... Just that they really, _really_ wanted to know what he was planning. To understand him, they had to understand what he wanted them to do.

There was a teary goodbye between Nowell, Rief, and their parents before they joined their friends on the deck of Pier's ship.

Before Piers sent it off, though, Mia shouted up to him. "Take care of them, Piers! I'll be heading to Kalay to join with Isaac and the others! If what the children say is true, we have a lot to worry about... But I know we'll pull through!"

Piers smiled, not sure if Mia was as optimistic as she sounded, but understanding that she wanted the children to be reassured. He nodded, holding up a hand as he turned away.

At that point, only Amiti was looking at Mia, and the secret smile she shot him made him beam with confidence. She was right. They'd already gone through so much. Of course it would all be okay. No way was he letting Alex come out on top.

Matthew shouted orders to the others, setting up schedules with Piers for the party to stand watch over the long trip. Matthew called to team up with Sveta, and they teamed Tyrell with Nowell, Rief with Eoleo, Himi with Eos, Seth with Takeru, and Amiti with Karis. Piers volunteered to go it alone, but Kraden once again agreed to stick with him.

Amiti, for one, was all right with that arrangement.

…

It was sunset when Matthew and Sveta got their first watch. Matthew took control of the steering even as Sveta filled the sails with extra wind to speed the ship on its way. Piers had gotten out the old Anemos wings, so it was smooth sailing and much faster than usual travel. Sveta's powers only made it even swifter.

Matthew smiled at her, nodding his thanks, before frowning again as he went back to his thoughts. Sveta walked over to him, frowning too. "What's wrong?"

Matthew shrugged. "I don't know. I... I still don't understand Felix's motives. Why'd he take Seth to Prox? Why didn't he tell anyone what he was doing? Doesn't..." Matthew swallowed. "Doesn't he even care about us? My mom's been hurting all these years... I never even met him, and he's my uncle! It doesn't make sense!"

Sveta put a hand on Matthew's shoulder. "I'm sorry. I'm sure he must have his reasons... The way he was talking, the way the others talk about him... He's not an unreasonable person, I'm sure."

Matthew nodded. "Yeah. I know. I'm just... really confused. I feel so... Helpless about all this." He frowned in anger. "It's so stupid. I'm supposed to be a great hero, that's what Dad's been training me to be. But I don't feel like one. All those people that died in the Grave Eclipse... That was because I wasn't good enough. I've let everyone down."

Sveta frowned, shaking her head. "Not true. You _are_ a hero, Matthew. You offered to give your life up to help me. That was very heroic. And it wasn't you that started all this. It was Alex. He's the Adept behind everything."

Matthew felt suddenly as though he'd heard those words before, it was dizzying. But where...? It was on the tip of his tongue, but it flitted away before he could think of it.

Matthew sighed, glancing at Sveta. "Yeah. You're right."

It was quiet for a while after he said that, and when they spoke again it was just casual conversation. Sure, they both had a lot to say... But they just didn't want to say it.

…

Every couple of hours, the watch changed. In the dark night hours, conversation was sparse, especially with teams like Nowell and Eos, who weren't particularly talkative anyway. Amiti and Karis had the last watch, taking their shift with the first light of dawn as Takeru and Seth headed belowdecks to rest up. Amiti let Karis take the wheel as he leaned out to gaze over the waters at the faint light on the horizon as it played on the surface of the sea.

"Amiti?" Karis's tone was faintly concerned. Amiti turned to her, raising an eyebrow slightly. Karis clenched her hands more tightly around the wheel. "You seem very thoughtful... More than usual."

Amiti bit his lip. Here it was. She'd asked a question, and he had the answer. Only... Did he want to answer? Truthfully?

"I am thinking about... Something that's been on my mind of late." Karis's brow wrinkled at his hesitation, but he didn't make haste as he continued. "Alex. He... He betrayed his family. He left his loved ones behind. How could you love someone, truly, and leave them? Fight against them? I don't understand. I..." Amiti, to his own shock, was choking up in frustration. He didn't know how to feel.

Karis walked over to him, abandoning the wheel for the moment to lend Amiti her full attention. She shook her head. "Amiti... No one can answer your questions. No one but Alex, anyway, and he's not about to talk."

"I know," Amiti said.

Karis smiled slightly, still shaking her head. "Besides... You have no reason to be concerned about him. Don't let him get to you. All right? He's our parent's enemy, he has nothing to do with you."

Amiti glanced away. _You don't know that, _he thought, shadows darkening his face, storms clouding his eyes.

"Amiti?" Karis asked, seeing this.

Amiti braced himself, then said, "That's not true." Karis started, then looked at him in sheer confusion. Amiti looked up, forcing himself to meet her eyes as he continued speaking. "He has everything to do with me, Karis. Of all of you, I am the one he has the greatest tie to... Karis... Alex is my father."

Karis's face had changed from shocked to confused, then to worried as he spoke. She shook her head, hugging Amiti tightly, to his surprise. "Oh, Amiti," she sighed. "I'm so sorry."

Amiti closed his eyes, then opened them again, pulling away. "What, that's it? You're not angry? You're not afraid? I just told you that the man who betrayed and used your parents and who knows how many others for his own gain is my _father._ And you apologize? I don't..."

Karis clapped a hand over his mouth, and he stared at her in wide-eyed shock. Her mouth was pouted in frustration. "Listen to me, Amiti. What you say is true. Alex used Dad and his friends, Dad's _foes, _and lots of other people to get the power he so desperately craved. Alex turned against Mia, his own cousin, abandoning the duties of his entire _clan_ without second thought. According to you, he deceived everyone in Ayuthay, too, and abandoned Veriti after getting her with child. So? Alex is _Alex_. You are _you._ The wrongs he's committed don't transfer to you just because you're his son. The sins of the parents aren't passed on to their children. They shouldn't be."

She pulled her hand away, and Amiti bowed his head. "Karis... You've thought about that a lot, haven't you?"

Karis looked down. "Yeah. I have, actually. It's not so bad in Kalay. People there know Dad and the rest well enough, and they have a good reputation there. However..." She shrugged. "Not everyone is so forgiving. The Warriors of Vale aren't loved everywhere. I've gotten a lot of crap before in some places for what the Warriors did because I'm Ivan's daughter. Some people just can't figure it out. I'm not one of the Warriors of Vale just because my Dad was one. What's Vale to me, anyway? Some town that was destroyed before I was ever born, where my Dad never even lived!"

Amiti smiled, despite himself. "Okay, okay. I get it, Karis. Alex... Alex really has nothing to do with me. He wasn't there for me, not even his _shadow _was there for me. Growing up, there was only Paithos and the memory of Mother. Alex has no place in my heart, he doesn't deserve one. He didn't raise me, he didn't love me, he didn't even _know_ about me. Alex is ice—cold, unforgiving, unable to love." There was silence for a moment before Amiti spoke again. "But... What does that make me? I'm a terrible son."

Karis smiled despite herself, shaking her head in annoyance. "No, Amiti, that's not true. Alex, however, is a terrible father. Now cheer up, okay?" She nudged his chin with a fist gently. "You're nothing like him, even if you do kind of look like him." When Amiti still didn't say anything, or even offer to smile, Karis sighed and let her hand fall. "All right, you want an answer, I'll give you one. If Alex is ice... Then you, Amiti, are snow."

"Snow?" Amiti said, laughing despite himself from the unexpected response. "Why _snow_?"

Karis shrugged. "Well... Snow is soft and melts into water easily, much faster than ice, but it's still cold when it needs to be. And..." Karis smiled, tilting her head. "Snow is white, clean, pure. Honest and honorable. So yes, Amiti. You are snow."

"Snow," Amiti chuckled. He liked it. "Thank you, Karis."

Karis smiled, walking back to the wheel. Then, she frowned. "Amiti, does Rief know? I mean..."

Amiti nodded. "Rief had it all figured out back at Apollo Sanctum."

Karis shook her head. "Wow. Smart kid." She frowned. "So... I take it you're still planning on keeping this from the others? I mean, Matthew will probably take it pretty well... But Tyrell... I don't even want to know."

Amiti smirked. "Oh, I'm sure he'll get over it. But I'm not so sure I'll survive his initial reaction." Their joined laughter rang out over the deck of the ship and into the wind off the sea. Amiti grinned. "I'll tell them eventually, Karis. I just want to wait for the right time."

"All right. Good luck." Karis said.

Amiti smiled, looking out over the sea again, where the sun was rising after the darkness before dawn.

Things were looking up for a change.

...

**Author: **Sorry about the delay in getting this one out. I hope the content makes up for it. Again, not too much action, but... When something says "things are looking up" it often is followed by a quick and painful fall back into trouble. However... I hope mine won't be too painful. :)

Karis does a lot of talking in this chapter, but we get to see more of Matthew and Sveta, too. I know it's kind of short, but I want to get into the real meat of this story without too much delay...

It's pretty hard to give everyone the spotlight they deserve every chapter. I love all the GS characters, both old and new... Just a few end up getting more attention for whatever reason. Oh well.

**smasherthekeybladebearer: **Lol. I think Amiti would be quite... surprised. And... My apologies. I said somewhere before (in the note at the end of the first chapter, I believe) that this fic would focus a bit on Amiti... But I plan to give Matthew a few chapters in the spotlight, too. As for the others... It's hard to fit everyone in, and I want to get farther in this story without getting too bogged down. It's long and complicated enough as it is... Maybe once I'm done I'll go back and edit a few chapters to give more people time to shine.**  
**

**Kaiora: **Glad you were happy. I love Mia, too. And Piers. Happily... Piers is staying for a while longer, at least through Lemuria. Hope you like this update!^^**  
**

**Supaku: **Thanks. If you put one up, I'll read it! And I have a feeling we won't have to wait too long for the next installment... But. I. Can't. Wait. Darn. It! Oh well. :( I know. Poor Paithos... That was tough to write, but I had to include it. I also feel bad for Felix... But sometimes bad things happen to good people. Hope you like this chapter!**  
**

**merlyn1382: **Lol. I think not. Amiti and Rief really are cousins, though, and Felix having a child is only to be expected, really. Anywho... Hope you enjoy this one!^^**  
**

**Ryu Gaia: **Sorry about the delay, lol. Glad to hear from you again. Hope you continue to enjoy it:)**  
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**Mirabelle457: **Lol. Actually, I can:) I'm a bit of a Piers fan myself, always have been. Hmm. I seem to like the water adepts a lot (except Mia), plus Felix. My other favorites are Jenna, Sheba, Karis, and Sveta. Non-playable... I like Karst, Lunpa, and Kraden. As I told Kaiora... Piers isn't going anywhere fast. :) Enjoy!**  
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**Kd7sov: **Glad you're trying. :) A "Moon Saga" would be awesome... Especially if the series lasts long enough for one to be necessary as recap!^^ On a side note, I have plans for the Sun Saga in a humor fic I'm toying with... Anyway, enjoy this chapter!**  
**


	17. Reflection

_Chapter Seventeen: Reflection_

Dawn was breaking over the northern continent. That is, it was where the light could reach. Alex sighed as he brushed his hair. It was always such a chore to keep it looking so absolutely perfect, but Alex wouldn't settle for anything less. He frowned as he stared at his reflection in the mirror, brushing his hair away from the right side of his face. He wasn't wearing his mask, so he winced when he saw his own face. That was the _real _reason he wore it, not in any attempt to hide his identity.

The top part of the right side of his face was scarred terribly from his encounter with the Wise One. He hated it, hated the reminder it was of his limitations. He had almost died. Almost... But not quite. It was ironic, Alex knew. He'd survived his encounter with the elements only to be left blinded in one eye thanks to a one-eyed rock with godly powers. Curse him!

Alex put down the brush once he was satisfied with his appearance and fixed the mask over his face before adjusting his coat. There. That would suffice.

He was due to have a meeting with the High Empyror, so his appearance was particularly important today. Especially since Felix had been summoned, too.

Alex made his way down the hall of the airship to the docking station. Felix was waiting there for Alex, standing beneath the lamplights on the runway. Alex put on a smile as he approached Felix. "Fascinating, isn't it?" He asked.

Felix turned to him swiftly. "Huh? What?"

Alex pointed to the lights. "Their technology—incredible, correct?"

Felix huffed. "Sure, whatever."

Alex frowned. "What, you aren't impressed? They're a lost civilization, from the time before the sealing, who never lost their old technologies and continued to expand upon what existed before. It's only to be expected, I suppose, but that makes it no less incredible."

Felix shook his head. "That's not what I meant," He turned and started walking down the stairs that led away from the airship and towards the great city of the Tuaperang. Alex said nothing, so Felix went on. "Sure, they have all their technology. But at what cost? They were too stubborn to give up what they had, their knowledge, and thus fell to darkness anyway. Perhaps not the darkness the rest of the world fell to, the darkness of ignorance, but darkness still. A far worse darkness, if you ask me."

Alex still said nothing. He wasn't about to deny the man, what he said was only the truth. The Tuaperang had lived near the top of the planet, farther north even than the northern wilds where Prox was located. They had fought against the seal on Alchemy and had lost. Thus, when the unforeseen troubles the seal caused began to chip away at the world, their lands had been the first to suffer.

They had clung desperately to their technology even as they'd fallen to darkness, using that same darkness to protect them. The only thing that had saved them was their technology, allowing them to hover just so—below the light that had forsaken them, but preventing them from falling any farther. This was the fate of the Tuaperang Dark Adepts. Cursed or blessed... With the Dark Adepts, it was incredibly hard to tell.

"So..." Felix said, glancing up at the light of dawn one last time before they dropped below the perpetual fog.

"So?" Alex asked.

Felix sighed. "What's this all about, anyway? Why would you bow your head and follow orders from some so called "High Empyror?" ...It's not like you. What power does he have over you? Why have we been summoned?"

"What is he up to?" Alex finished for him, shrugging as he did so. "Truly, Felix, I only do what I must. It is in our best interests for now to remain allied to the Tuaperang. We may need what they have to offer. That is why I let them think they have power over me, when in fact it is I who has the power here. They have no idea..." Alex glanced at Felix suspiciously. "For that matter, I doubt even you realize the truth."

Felix grunted in annoyance. "So. They're just pawns to you, and so am I."

Alex smirked. "Perhaps. I suspect you're a bit more informed than they are... You have some reason for bowing your head, too."

Felix said nothing for a moment, then spoke up. "You didn't answer my other question. Why have we been summoned?"

Alex frowned. "Actually... I'm not entirely sure."

"Wonderful," Felix sighed.

…

Meanwhile, Piers had taken up the wheel of his ship along with Kraden as Karis and Amiti had gone below to rest up for the final stretch as the party neared Lemuria. Amiti smiled as he entered the room he shared with Rief. He yawned, then smiled as he pulled the covers around himself. He couldn't wait to see Lemuria after hearing so much about it. The place was legendary... And Kraden had said it was similar to Ayuthay.

Amiti doubted he'd be getting any extra rest before they arrived.

A short while later, sunlight spilled in through the window over Amiti's bed to land on Rief's face. The boy stirred, blinking in the sudden brightness. Rief saw Amiti and smiled. "Good morning, Amiti!"

Amiti grinned. "Good morning. I don't suppose there's any point in staying belowdecks any longer. Do you want to head up and wait with Piers?"

Rief nodded, casting his blankets aside and putting on his glasses. "Let's go! I can't wait to see Lemuria! Kraden's spoken of it so fondly all these years... It must be something else!"

Amiti smiled, following his chipper cousin back outside. Piers smiled broadly when they appeared on deck. "Back so soon, Amiti?"

"Yes, Captain Piers. I couldn't get back to sleep, and when Rief woke up we decided we'd rather be on deck to catch first sight of Lemuria."

Piers nodded, frowning slightly. "That'll be some time yet... See that fog ahead?" Amiti and Rief nodded. "That's the Sea of Time. It's what protected the Lemurians when Alchemy was sealed away, what makes time pass so slowly there for us. It is still a very treacherous sea, even now, and all but the best sailors still steer clear of it. However... There's no need to worry."

Kraden chuckled. "Indeed! Captain Piers knows this sea better than anyone alive!"

Piers beamed at the old scholar. "Brace yourselves!" He shouted as they entered the fog. Rief and Amiti hung on to the ship for dear life as they rode over a vicious whirlpool.

Naturally, the sudden turbulence led to the rest of the party joining them pretty quickly. Piers quickly assured them there was nothing to worry about. Besides the rough waters, there really was no danger... And the waters were nothing to his dear ship. Nowell beamed at him as he said this, and Piers's demeanor seemed to darken a bit at that.

"Anyway..." Piers said, steering them through the last whirlpool into the calm, inner sea, "That, dear friends, is Lemuria!"

The children all looked ahead in wide-eyed wonder at the flourishing ancient city.

"Oh, it's beautiful!" Nowell sighed.

"Lovely," Eos said sarcastically, rolling her eyes at Nowell.

Seth frowned. "I want a closer look."

"Sail faster!" Tyrell said, hopping up and down.

Kraden laughed out loud. "This brings back so many memories... How eager all of us were to see Lemuria for the first time! Yes, Piers, please sail away! Don't make them wait any longer!"

Piers laughed, smoothly bringing the ship into port. Most everyone took off as quickly as possible, despite Piers's warnings that despite the opening of their borders the Lemurian people still tended to startle easily... Except for the three water adepts, who lingered behind with Piers and Kraden.

Nowell never once took her eyes off Piers, which Rief seemed to be disturbed by almost as much as Piers. How Nowell didn't notice was beyond him. "Come on, sis..." Rief said, tugging at her sleeve. "Leave the Captain alone for a while... Let's go see the city. I want to check it out."

Reluctantly, Nowell went away with her brother. Piers audibly sighed in relief, and Amiti shook his head. Kraden only laughed. "Ah, youth," was his only comment.

Piers frowned. "Youth, indeed. Do you know how young she is to me?"

Kraden perked up. "Actually, no..."

Piers blinked, sighed, then shook his head. "No. I can already see where this is going. Let's not go there again. She's far too young—we'll leave it at that."

Kraden sighed in disappointment. "And I was so close this time, too." Then Kraden grinned. "What are you going to do, Piers? You aren't getting any younger! Meanwhile, the rest of the world is getting younger all the time!"

Piers frowned quite forlornly. "And don't I know it. I feel so misplaced already..." He sighed, then smiled faintly at Amiti. "No need to worry, though. It'll work out in the end. It's a bit lonely... But that's just how it is."

Piers and Kraden disembarked from the ship then, and Amiti went with them. There were a couple young men at the gate, who couldn't be anything but twins, who grinned at Piers as he walked by, saluting him. Piers shook his head in agitation, but said nothing of it. "How's everything, boys?"

"Fine, Captain Piers!" One said. "Your Uncle will be glad to see you."

"But you should go see King Hydros first," the other chimed in. "He and Lunpa were looking forward to your return. They're eager to see how your work is coming along."

Piers smiled. "Very well, actually. It's so fascinating, how the lands have been shifting. I can't wait to share my research with them." Piers tilted his head as he continued. "And I'm sure Uncle will be glad to see me... He tries to hide it, but I know he still worries."

The first boy smiled. "Of course. After his sister's death, you're all he has left... And considering how your father died, of course he worries for you."

Piers rolled his eyes. "Oh, none of that nonsense. My father loved the sea, there was no other fate for him. It's not such a bad fate, truly..." He shook his head. "Enough. I have to catch up with the others. Come along, Amiti!"

Shortly they arrived at the palace, where King Hydros stood looking out over the city with Lunpa and Piers's Uncle also sitting in the throne room. Hydros nodded as Piers came in, and Piers smiled at the three men. "Greetings!" Piers said, holding out a hand.

The King clasped it and clapped Piers strongly on the back. "Good to see you, Captain. I'm sure you have much to share with me... These children, why, the stories they've been sharing with me are incredible!"

Piers chuckled. "Oh, I'm sure. Pray tell, what have they been telling you?"

The King frowned. "Well, besides the tale of the Grave Eclipse, they also speak of the Mourning Moon. Is it true that that calamity is on the rise once more?"

Piers frowned, nodding. "Isaac believes it is, and he hasn't been wrong about such things yet."

"Then we have no time to waste," Hydros said, nodding to Rief. "This young scholar tells me that he needs access to the Library, and I have given all of them permission to come and go as they wish. Why don't you show them around, Piers?"

Piers bowed slightly. "Of course," He smiled at the group. "Come along, then."

Piers gave them a grand tour, showing them around both the palace and the city. It truly was reminiscent of Ayuthay, from the fountains to the grand baths in the back of the palace, to the intricate stonework throughout the entire city.

There were only two places Piers did not take the children—The ruined section known as Ancient Lemuria and the graveyard. Kraden cleared that up with a quick whisper to the children of, "His mother passed away during his absence before Felix's party came here for the first time. It hit the Captain rather hard, and he still doesn't like to think about it. He'll stop by her grave later, I'm sure... On his own."

Amiti frowned, becoming increasingly surprised by the mariner's past. He never would've guessed that Piers had gone through so much pain in his youth. But surely he had not gone through it so quickly as Amiti. Amiti did not believe everything had truly sunk in yet... He could not afford to let it all sink in yet. He had to be strong. For now.

Like Captain Piers.

…

"Greetings, High Empyror," Alex said, bowing his head more than usual. Felix, seeing this, knelt down on one knee in the manner befitting a Knight to his lord. If Alex wanted to appease the man, he must have some reason for it.

However, Felix would be lying if he said he was not surprised by the High Empyror's appearance. He was an old man, a _very_ old man, with wispy white hair and fancy clothes that hung over his frail frame. _This_ was the High Empyror, who Alex bowed before?

Then the High Empyror smiled, and Felix felt a chill go down his spine. Okay, maybe Alex had a reason. That smile was _not_ one belonging to a kind old man, but one belonging to a man who had not yet lost his strength. He might be old, but he was still powerful.

"Arcanus. Welcome. I trust you have sent the pawns down the proper path?"

Alex nodded, gesturing to Felix. "This man has taken care of that for me. They will find the information that will lead them into m—your plans, my lord. Then you shall have all you desire, all that you deserve."

Felix was honestly creeped out by the way Alex said _desire_ and _deserve_. Felix had the irrepressible feeling that the High Empyror was not going to get what he expected, but Felix didn't really care. Right at that moment, all he could sense or see was directed at the High Empyror, who had slowly turned his attention to Felix. "And who is this man?"

Felix stood, slowly, and said, stiffly, "I am whoever you want me to be."

Alex smirked, and spoke up in a quiet voice. "Diamond calls him Fool, my lord, and I think it suits him." Alex looked at Felix as though he saw him as no more than an idle threat, if that, and shook his head in an oh so superior way.

The High Empyror laughed, and Felix had to try very hard not to tremble. The man had an aura about him, despite his appearance, and that aura bleed into everything he said, everything he did. It was like nothing Felix had ever stood against before. What gave him such a terrible aura?

"Very well, then," The High Empyror said. "Fool he shall be. A worthless pawn in my hand, in this game. What of the others? I have spoken with Diamond and Clovos—They tell me Blados and Chalis have fallen. That you were with them when they fell."

Alex sighed, shaking his head. "Alas, they were not strong enough to survive the activation of Apollo Sanctum. They fell beneath its light, though the... the other pawns survived. They may serve us yet."

The High Empyror frowned, and Felix had to look away. "Go, then, and make sure the other pawns do as I wish. If they do not gain the information they need... Or if they gain to much information... You, Arcanus must deal with them. Make sure they light the way, all the way into the darkness."

Alex bowed, and took Felix by the shoulder to guide him out as the High Empyror laughed in his dark amusement. Felix truly needed the assistance, he felt so weakened, so faint.

When they were a considerable distance away, Alex let go, and said, softly, "Now do you see?"

Felix shook his head in shock. "What—What was that?"

"Darkness," Alex said, perfectly cool and collected. "The power of the foul darkness that these people have been forced to live in since the light was taken from their world. Now come, Felix. We must not tarry here. We must, for now, heed his orders and make sure Matthew and the others do as we tell them. Our lives... _All_ our lives rest on that."

Felix huffed. "But yours is all you care about... The rest just happen to benefit."

Alex said nothing.

And for some reason, Felix felt suspicion settle over him. Suspicion that he just might, somehow, be wrong.

…

**Author: **Well, there you go. A bit of backstory on the Tuaperang in a slightly longer chapter. Hope you like my ideas about them... Though I'm making all of this up, lol. It'd be cool if something like this were the case. I can just see it coming, considering what happened in the originals with Prox and all...

I thought the idea of them being more technological makes sense. It's actually kind of sad, in my opinion.

Oh, and on a side note, my first time reaching Lemuria in TLA was exactly thus: I finally completed the Trident... At an extremely late hour... And could not get to sleep for my wish to see Lemuria so badly. So I navigated the Sea of Time... Only to discover I'd have to fight Poseidon. Darn. Thus, it was actually very, very early in the morning when I got my first glimpse of Lemuria. I considered it well worth it.

Anyway, what with this chapter's motif being "Reflection" and all... Note the parallels between Alex and Felix, Alex and Amiti, Amiti and Piers, and the Tuaperang and the Lemurians. Just throwing that out there.

Hope you guys like the image of the High Empyror... That was something I found hard to write, and I hope I got what I was imagining across well enough.

Poor Felix. Not only is he a pawn (and _knows_ it, too...) he's given the title of Fool... Hmm... But in this context, that actually isn't as insulting as it'd seem. The Fool is the man at the start of his journey, about to step off the cliff into the world of the unknown. He is open to all possibilities, and therefore is the one who holds the greatest power of all. Perhaps.

Anyway, enjoy! There will be more of Lemuria in the next chapter, and I'll try to work in all the characters a little better.

**Supaku: **Thank you.^^ Reviews always make my day. :)**  
**

**Kaiora: **:) Glad you liked it. Not so much shipping this chapter, but I hope you still enjoy!**  
**

**smasherthekeybladebearer: **Actually... It's a lot more than that. Eight plus four, plus cameos of old party member when they happen, plus the villain's side when I show it... Argh. I myself thought about Karis/Tyrell being half-way likely, but personally I don't like relationships like that, where the people beat on each other. They felt more like siblings to me. As for my favorite Kingdom Hearts character... I love a ton of them, honestly. Favorite hero? Arguable, but I'm for Ven, Terra, Aqua, and Riku. Favorite villain? Sephiroth. Specifically, Org. XIII? Axel's cool (or not...lol). I'm also fond of Roxas and Xion. That's pretty much my ultimate favorites list, though I like all the FF characters and all the original KH characters...**  
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**Heckenschutze: **Wow. You refer to my fic as "excellent material." That's awesome. I'm glad you think so. I do put effort into making it nice, even if I don't slave over it quite so much as my own original stuff. :) Thanks for the review!**  
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**Eloine: **Well, it may take you a while to get to this, but I hope your concerns will be clarified by now. This fic _is_ about the Mourning Moon... And events surrounding it... And so much more. Hope you enjoy it. :)**  
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	18. Life Lessons

_Chapter Eighteen: Life Lessons_

In Lemuria, the party broke up temporarily, leaving everyone to sort of do their own thing for a little while. It was something they all were happy to be able to do, because no matter how well they got along most of the time, being confined to their small group was draining. And that's not even considering how _some people_ found it harder to get along with everyone with than others.

"I know where I'm headed..." Rief said, a distant and wistful look in his eyes.

Amiti grinned. "The library, I assume?"

"Psh," Tyrell muttered. "That's no fun."

Amiti, Karis, and Rief frowned at the same time. Karis smirked a bit, saying, "Well, maybe not for the illiterate."

Tyrell turned bright red, in combined anger and embarrassment. "I can read, Karis. Thank you very much."

"Oh yeah? What's the longest book you've ever read, then?"

Tyrell grinned confidently. "The Sun Saga. So there."

"It's true," Matthew said. "I saw him reading it, believe it or not."

Karis shrugged. "If you say so..."

Rief turned to Amiti. "So, what are you going to do?"

Amiti smiled contentedly. "Well... I was planning to head to the baths. It's been a while since we've been somewhere where they actually have a proper one."

Tyrell burst into laughter. "Wow, your idea of fun is almost as bad as Rief's, Pri—Uh... Pretty boy!" Tyrell hurriedly fixed his slip. He wanted to tempt Amiti's temper, not depress him.

Amiti frowned, turning a shade of red in controlled anger... Though he admitted to himself that Pretty boy was better than Princess, Tyrell's old insult, if only by a margin. "Why don't you go beat something else up, Tyrell, before I decide holding my temper in check isn't worth it?"

Tyrell took one look at Amiti's ice cold gaze and decided against furthering this conversation. "Hey, Matthew... You wanna go to the courtyard and spar a bit?" Tyrell asked turning to him, grinning boyishly and stretching out his shoulders as if they were tense. "I've been dying to let loose a bit... We haven't had anything to fight seriously for a while."

Matthew grinned. "Sure, why not?" He nodded to the others. "See you later."

Amiti sighed, shaking his head, and walked away down the hall towards the baths. Karis turned to the others and raised her arms in question. "So... What about us?"

Eoleo shrugged. "I was thinking about looking around and talking to some of the elders around here, you know? When I get back to Champa, I'm gonna need all the wisdom I can get..."

Takeru laughed. "Yeah, I can see that. But you have a point. My father probably would like for me to return home a wiser son... If you're going to speak with the elders, I will join you."

"I do believe that is an excellent idea," Piers said, coming out of the throne room where he'd been speaking with the King. "You children could learn a lot from the people here. Takeru, you and Eoleo can join me later when I speak with the King and Lunpa."

Sveta grinned at him, eyes twinkling. "Isn't it true that there's a different form of government here? It's not just a monarchy, correct?"

"Correct," Piers said, nodding. "We also have a senate."

Sveta wrinkled her nose in curiosity. "A senate, you say?"

Piers nodded. "Well, yes. It is now quite active and functional. Until Lord Conservato's untimely death, it was more controlling." The way he said Lord Conservato's name, _untimely_, and _death_... That is, the first with disgust, the second with a slight smirk, and the third with a perfectly straight face... Well, it was obvious that Piers hadn't been too fond of the fellow, for whatever reason. Piers quickly went on, smiling fondly at the children's thirst for knowledge. "Would you like to see the senate in action, Sveta?"

Sveta's ears perked up. "Would you let me?"

Piers nodded, grinning. "Of course."

"I want to go to!" Karis and Himi said almost at the same time.

Piers gestured for them to follow him as he headed for the senate's building beside the palace. He glanced back over his shoulder at Nowell. "Nowell, why don't you come along as well? I'm sure you'll learn a lot from the senate."

"If you say so, Captain Piers..." Nowell said, smiling in a totally love-struck way. Piers's demeanor stiffened a bit and his face went ever so slightly blue. Kraden chuckled to himself. Oh, what trouble Piers was going to have getting out of that situation, if he even _could_...

Takeru and Eoleo followed the Captain, eager to listen in on his speech to the King and Lunpa. This left Eos and Seth all alone in front of the throne room. Seth was looking rather forlornly after the others, still unsure of his place in the group. Eos frowned a bit. "Um... Seth? Do you want to go with them?"

Seth frowned, and turned to her. "No. Not really. I'm not into politics. And I don't feel like sparring, or reading... Or visiting the baths..." Seth sighed, at a loss for what to do.

Eos sighed right along with him. "Well. I was just thinking the same thing. We... We really don't fit into the party too well, do we?"

Seth shook his head. "That's not the problem. From the moment I joined the group, it felt right. I know my destiny is with Matthew and the others, just like Felix's was with Isaac. But..." Seth glanced away. "I don't understand what my destiny is, exactly. Not yet."

Eos frowned. "I guess it's a bit different for me. My mother was an enemy of the Warriors, though in the end her fate was tied to theirs... What do you want to do, Seth? It's been a long time since I last saw you, since we spent time together..." Eos sighed, face downcast. Seth heard the tone of her voice, and looked at her in shock. He knew her well enough to know it wasn't like her to be so down. Eos didn't meet his gaze. "I missed you... brother..."

Seth bit his lip, then sighed, shaking his head. "Eos... I'm sorry. I know you and Karst must've taken it hard. I... I didn't realize you'd feel so strongly you'd come after me. I've put you into danger, now, haven't I?"

Eos turned away from him so he wouldn't see the tears welling up in her eyes. Shame! She wanted to scold herself. Be strong, like a true warrior of Prox! Like Saturos, Menardi, Agatio... Even Karst! They weren't scared of death! They never showed tears when they were sad!

Eos turned back to Seth, eyes full of determination. "I am not afraid, Seth. It was my choice to follow you, to join this cause. Whatever happens after this... It is my own will. It is what I want."

Seth sighed, smiling a bit. That was more like the Eos he knew. "Very well. That's a relief, Eos, to know that."

There was silence between them, and Seth leaned against a wall, as Eos shifted her feet. Seth coughed, then said, "Uh... So, you said you... You miss spending time with me, like we used to?" Eos nodded. Seth smiled. "Well... Would you like to do something together, then?"

Eos met his gaze. "Like what, Seth?"

Seth shrugged. "I've been curious about those ruins Piers called Ancient Lemuria. We could go explore them a little..."

"Yeah. That sounds nice... Brother."

Seth turned away, starting off towards the ruins. Not once did he glance back. He didn't have to. He knew Eos would follow him. He knew she would follow him to the ends of the earth if she had to, or even beyond them if that were his fate.

All or nothing. That's just how they think in Prox. It's what made them such formidable opponents...

And what made them so loyal to those they considered friends.

…

Amiti sighed in contented bliss as he got dressed again after a fine trip to the baths. He was tempted to say the royal baths in Lemuria were actually _better_ than those in Ayuthay... But he knew it only felt that way because it had been so long since he'd had a chance to just relax and think nothing of the perils they were facing.

Okay, so maybe his mind hadn't been totally free of worry, but he had made a conscious effort to let it go for the time being. Here in Lemuria, they had a chance to stray from the path for a short while, to escape from their troubles. After this, they probably wouldn't get another chance for a while. _If we ever get another chance... _Amiti thought for one instant before he could stop himself.

"No," He said, quietly. "No need to think like that."

Amiti thought of Rief suddenly, and wondered if his cousin were still in the library. Amiti shook his head, walking up the stairs and headed to the grand library.

Sure enough, he found the tiny Mercury Adept wedged between two stacks of books flipping through the ancient pages, totally engrossed in his research. Amiti smirked, shaking his head. "Still searching, Rief? Aren't you getting tired of this?"

Rief started, then saw Amiti and sighed, his eyes looking very tired. He took his glasses off and rubbed his eyes. "A bit, I guess. I haven't found anything we're looking for yet... But I have found out a lot. It's information overload here... There's too much stuff to distract me. I'm sorry."

Amiti shook his head, and clapped Rief on the shoulder. "Don't apologize. You can't learn everything from a book, Rief. Why don't you take a break and try something else for a change?"

Rief frowned, putting his glasses on again and pushing them up his nose. "I don't know, Amiti... What do you have in mind?"

Amiti smiled. "Fencing," he said.

Rief looked at him like he was nuts. "Really, Amiti. You know I can't equip swords."

Amiti frowned. "Only because you've never been trained to use one. You couldn't always wield a staff, could you? Well, same goes for me. I couldn't always wield a sword. Every warrior has to start somewhere... Even the legendary ones."

Rief sighed, looking at the book he'd been flipping through. Amiti sighed, shaking his head, and gently closed it, leaving a bookmark in to hold his place. "There, see? Let's go," Amiti took Rief by the wrist and led him down the stairs to the basement where a bunch of equipment was stored. He took a practice sword down off a rack and threw it at Rief, who caught it awkwardly. Amiti smiled.

"All right, cousin. Step one—Watch your stance."

…

Matthew and Tyrell had grown up as best friends, and in their childhood they had often fought each other to become stronger while their fathers watched proudly from nearby. It had been some time since the two of them had had a chance to do so, however, with all the troubles they'd been busy facing. The last time they had sparred had been a good week before the Soarwing incident... And both of them had sorely missed the unwinding ease of it.

"So," Tyrell said, swinging his sword at Matthew, "What's been going on in your head?"

Matthew chuckled a bit. "That's an odd question, Tyrell."

Tyrell shot Matthew his trademark grin. "So you say. You're awfully quiet, you know that? You usually talk to me about stuff that's going on... But not anymore. Now you always find someone else," Tyrell frowned. "You know, I think everyone's been avoiding me. It's like they all think I'm a complete idiot. They never ask me my opinions, never come to me for advice."

Matthew frowned. "I'm sorry, Tyrell. I didn't realize you had a problem... Now that you mention it, though... No one seems to take you seriously. You're right."

Tyrell shrugged. "I guess it comes with being the screw-up that got us all into this mess."

Matthew shook his head. "No. These events would've happened even if you hadn't broken the Soarwing. If it hadn't been the Soarwing... Something else would've come up. I just know it. But you know..." Here Matthew grinned broadly, swinging his sword on a diagonal, "I think you should be proud to say it's your fault we got into this. Think about it. If not for you, we never would've had this adventure, never would've made so many new friends..."

"Yeah, guess so. I am glad we met all of them," Tyrell then grinned mischievously. "But quit avoiding my question, Matthew. What's up? Or don't tell me... I already know."

Matthew raised his eyebrows in shock, a blush creeping across his cheeks. "You... do?"

Tyrell nodded. "Yeah. You're trying to make Karis jealous by hanging out with Sveta in your spare time, and by going to that dance with her." Tyrell grinned. "See? I'm not totally out of the loop."

Matthew bit his lip to refrain from laughing, to which Tyrell laughed out loud.

"Just kidding, Matthew. I know that's not it," he said as he punched Matthew lightly on the shoulder. "But that _is_ what I thought until the coronation dance in Ayuthay." Tyrell frowned. "Why didn't you tell me you were into Sveta? I thought I was your best friend, I thought you always told me everything."

Matthew blinked, his face going a shade redder. "Wow, Tyrell. I really don't know what to say... I guess it's because I haven't really had a chance to figure everything out for myself yet. Why tell you about something I'm still not totally sure of?" Matthew sighed, looking down, and resting his sword on the ground. "I've had a lot on my mind, honestly."

Tyrell grinned, sheathing his sword. "Then tell me about it. How am I supposed to cheer you up if I don't even know what's bothering you?"

Matthew laughed. "Good point," he said, following Tyrell's lead. He sat down on the stairs beside the Lemurian fountain. "Well... Here goes..."

Tyrell sat down, listening quietly to Matthew's story the whole way through.

…

That night, the various party members returned on their own time. Tyrell, Eoleo, Himi, and Takeru were the first to call it a day, followed by Nowell and Rief. Rief was especially tired after a long day of reading and trying to learn fencing from Amiti... But he smiled at Amiti before he turned in.

"Hey, Amiti... Thanks. I wasn't too thrilled about the idea at first... But it was fun. Thanks for spending time with me."

Amiti nodded. "Hey, that what a cousin's for." _Arguably, _he couldn't help but add in his head, thinking of Alex. But Amiti planned to be a good cousin to his family from Imil. They were the only real family he had left, after all.

"So, have a good day, Amiti?" Matthew asked, wandering into the room with Sveta, Karis, Eos, and Seth. Matthew grinned. "You look like you did."

Amiti smiled broadly at his friends. "Oh, yes. It was quite enjoyable. I wish we could stay in Lemuria forever... But of course, we must get back to our journey soon enough."

Matthew nodded. "Yeah. It really is as though time passes differently here, isn't it? The way people here act, it makes you feel like you have all the time in the world."

"Well, we don't," Eos pointed out. "Time's always running out. Anyway... I'm off to bed. See you tomorrow, guys. Goodnight, brother." Eos lightly ran up the stairs.

Seth smiled after her. "Goodnight, sister."

Amiti, Karis, Matthew, and Sveta all shared a glance, to which Seth frowned and asked, "What?"

Matthew shook his head. "No. It's nothing. Just... Haven't heard you call her that before. That's all."

Seth looked away. "Don't see why it matters what we call each other, but okay. See you later." With that, Seth, too, went away, followed shortly by Matthew and Sveta.

"Well," Karis said. "I guess everyone's eager to rest up while we can, huh?" She asked Amiti.

Amiti nodded. "We'll have to head back into danger before long," he said. "...Just because we're taking a break doesn't mean Alex is. We can't let him use us like pawns."

Karis frowned. "That's causing you a lot of grief, isn't it?" She asked, quietly.

Amiti sighed. "Karis... It's a fact I have to deal with. I can't afford grief right now. Not regarding anything." Amiti's face was perfectly composed.

Karis shook her head. "You don't mean... Amiti... Are you serious? I mean, I remember you crying after your uncle died, but... It's true, isn't it? You're avoiding it, aren't you? You're dealing with all this by not thinking too hard about it."

Amiti bit his lip, struggling to keep his composure. It hurt, because it was the truth. "I think I'm in shock, Karis. Too much has happened to me too quickly. And while it did start when I found out that I wasn't a miracle of my mother's own power... It's quickly gotten much worse. I'm afraid, Karis," Amiti said, swallowing, eyes watering. "I'm afraid of what's inside of me. All this turmoil... I can feel it, there, just waiting to overwhelm me. I can't afford to let it, Karis. I need to be able to do my part, to help you, my dear friends. I'm afraid of what I could become. Afraid that if I let myself go, I won't be able to stop falling." Despite what he was saying, he wasn't able to stop the tears from escaping his eyes and staining his cheeks.

Karis shook her head, and hugged him. Heavens knew, he needed it. "Amiti... You want to know something? Don't be afraid. Mourn... And let it go. It's the only way. Try to avoid your grief... And you may very well become what you fear. Think about it. What kind of person is Alex?"

_The kind of person who never lets himself feel anything, because he's afraid of what it could do to him._ Amiti realized Karis was right. And it gave him chills all over again. His mind returned to that haunting question once again. How did a boy from Imil become so power hungry, so desperate for immortality?

Karis pulled away a bit, wiping his face with her gloved hand. "Please, Amiti. Don't think of him, don't let him change you. Don't let thoughts of him direct your actions. You may see him in yourself... But you're different where it counts." Her eyes met his, and they were bright and perceptive. Amiti felt his heart rate quicken, and before he could stop himself he pulled her close to him again and caught her mouth in a gentle kiss.

Then he realized what he'd done, and he broke away, blushing furiously. "Ah... Karis, I apologize. I..."

Karis, whose expression had been surprised, changed swiftly to frustrated. "Oh, for the love of..." She promptly grabbed his head and kissed him again, more deeply, before pulling back and away. This time her face was tinted red, too. "Don't apologize, okay? If I were angry with you, you'd know it." She bit her lip, then turned away and started up the stairs. Amiti leaned back against the wall, still flushed with a torrent of emotion.

Karis turned back when she was half-way up the stairs and smiled at him. "Goodnight, Amiti. Hope everything turns out okay."

"Y-yeah," Amiti stammered. "Goodnight, Karis."

As she vanished around the corner, Amiti ran a hand through his hair and across his burning face. He could still feel the dark undercurrents in his heart, the fear and sorrow and pain just waiting to break free... But Karis had called something totally different to the surface, something he was equally unsure of, equally afraid.

"You know, you should tell her."

Amiti started, turning quickly to face Piers, who was standing in the doorway.

"What...?" Amiti stammered. "H-how long have you been there?"

Piers smiled faintly, shaking his head. "Not long, Amiti... But long enough. You love her, don't you? You're just scared to admit it, scared she doesn't feel the same way?" Amit swallowed, too startled to speak. Piers shook his head and went on. "Even so... You should tell her, before you lose your chance. Let her know. Give her that choice, at least." Piers's eyes were downcast, his shoulders slumped. Yet, still, he smiled at Amiti and patted him on the shoulder. "Goodnight, King Amiti. See you tomorrow."

"Yeah," Amiti said. "See you."

With that, Amiti started up the stairs.

Belatedly, he wondered if Piers was speaking from experience... And if he were, who the Captain had been in love with in the past.

In any case, the day had been a long one, and Amiti was exhausted. He thought sleep would come swiftly, but it didn't. It evaded him, troubled by thoughts that strayed to both the future and the past.

...

**Author: **This chapter took a bit longer to write, but I hope it is worth the wait. I was meaning to include more scenes with the various groups, but I decided against it for now, as it really doesn't further the plot. Perhaps once I am done with this, I can edit more scenes into it. (In other words, re-reading this will probably be a good idea...) In any case, the next chapter has some very, very important plot points in it.

About Piers at the end: If you are seriously wondering, I leave that open ended. In the old fandom, Piers was basically the Eoleo equivalent. You know the drill- rarely paired with other people, acting as a big-brother type advising figure. However... I am, personally, quite fond of one-sided Piers/Jenna. In other words, Piers fell for her, but never told her for varied reasons... And finally he let it go when he realized she loved Isaac and vise-versa... And yes, I know this isn't mainstream. And I do plan to write that story after this, along with a (drumroll) series about Alex.

To all you Stormshippers out there... Hope you enjoy:)

I'm not going to comment on Seth and Eos... Though I am curious as to what people are thinking about that plot-line at this moment.

**Smasher. The-Keyblade-Bearer: **Ah, Demyx. "Run, run away!" "Okaaay..." (Definitely agree with Sora's comment here... Lol.) Yep. I like him, too. Darn it, the Organization is epic as a whole, really. As for the lands south of Angara... (Points to the grand **Plot Overview**) Yep. They're in there. That part of the adventure ensues _after_ Lemuria. Don't worry. There's a lot of epic stuff planned for the party all over the world yet. :) Oh, and my favorite Keyblade is Way to the Dawn. In fact, that's originally where I derived my pen-name from. I also like Oathkeeper, Oblivion, and Two Become One.**  
**

**Just a fan: **Lol. I noticed that you hadn't reviewed in a while. In any case... I'll say it really isn't that surprising, since I've been re-watching the whole Star Wars series over the past month and a half, one every Friday. (Netflix rocks.) While I won't deny the influence, I am consciously avoiding imitating it. Thanks for the review.**  
**

**Heckenschutze: **Well, the thing with being north of Prox is... The result of what I was working with prior to the release of Dark Dawn, which was in turn inspired by something I read involving a hack of TLA. (Which involved giving Felix Mind Read Psynergy and reading the minds of Proxians Post-Doom Dragon Battle. And... The ones I read were actually mis-translated. Heh heh... Darn.) I decided that it still fit, so I left it in. As for Piers... That was very fun to write, I'll admit. (And a good way of avoiding having to make up an age on the spot.) Thank you!**  
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**Supaku: **Glad it made you happy. And yeah... I'm sure Jenna will have a field day with that, lol. Tell me when you get yours up, I will definitely read it!**  
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**IGAF-kun: **Thank you. And, yes, there will be some focus on them shortly. Glad you're enjoying it so far!**  
**

**Kaiora: **That is really quite a relief, because it is incredibly hard to write him. I don't want people to say he's out of character... But as long as I like him, I guess someone else will, too.**  
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**MasterMind 16X: **You're not the first to tell me you've only played Dark Dawn and are a bit confused by references to the older stuff. I'm planning to write a story that might help with some of that. In any case, you're not wrong, really. Ice/Fire counterparts doesn't make sense for the Tuaperang, nor did it make sense for the Proxians, who were all Fire Adepts. I was referring to their color schemes and personalities. One is always blue and more reserved (ice) and the other is always red and more passionate (fire.) Alex is still with the Tuaperang in this fic because... Well, because it's a plot point. Blados and Chalis didn't survive to tell the Empyror of Alex's actions, so he doesn't know. It comes up later. Hope that helps.:)**  
**


	19. The Lost Sanctum

_Chapter Nineteen: The Lost Sanctum_

The next day began much as the last one had, with the party realizing all the more how easy it could be to get caught up in the Lemurian attitude of indifference. Piers truly was a strange case, it seemed, a Lemurian who had a lot of fire in him... An odd thought, considering how calm and cool Piers seemed to outsiders.

"It's all a manner of perception," Amiti said to Matthew. "How people see each other and the world."

Matthew nodded. "Yeah, you're right. It's all relative. You never can judge someone until you're seen the world through their eyes." Matthew grinned. "If there's one thing I've learned from the stories, it's that. Dad went on and on about how bad everyone felt about Prox once they found out their situation. Good or bad... It's all relative. All about your point of view."

Eos and Seth both smiled at that. "Mother would be glad to hear you, Isaac's son, speak in favor of Prox," Eos said. "I know she would."

Seth nodded. "Yeah... Dad would be happy about it too. I guess."

Matthew frowned at them. "Yeah... I have been wondering something, actually... About you two..."

Karis knew what Matthew was going to ask about—their relationship. She was curious, too. Were they blood related, or just foster siblings? Either way... There were questions to be asked. Karis wasn't too sure, but... The smile Seth had shot after Eos the night before had really seemed odd. It had not come across as a brother's smile... Yet, Eos called him "brother" and he'd called her "sister" in return.

However, Matthew did not get a chance to finish his question. At that moment, Rief ran into the room, nearly tripping over his own robe in the process.

"Whoa, easy!" Eoleo said, catching him by the shoulder before he fell. His glasses flew off his face, and Amiti deftly caught them.

Rief flushed with embarrassment as Amiti handed his glasses over to him. "Thanks, guys. Sorry about that..."

"What's the rush?" Amiti asked.

Rief perked up. "That's right! Guys, I think I've found something! It's in the library, come see!"

The group shared a glance, then followed the young scholar up the stairs. In the library, there were books strewn about the floor in a careful manner, and Rief walked over to one that had been propped up on a desk. He skimmed the passage and then pointed at a paragraph.

"There, see? It's pretty vague, but it definitely is referring to places like Sol Sanctum and the Lighthouses... And to the quest our parents took. Listen... _Should the Sealed Power of Alchemy ever be released, it will light Sol with the energies of the Stars within the Beacons. The Golden Sun will light atop Aleph, and the Stone of the Sages will be bathed with the glow of Alchemy's Raw Power Made Real, in the Heart of Its Power. However... The Raw Power of Alchemy is too much for the world."_

Rief paused, pushing his glasses back up his nose. "I assume that, prior to the present, scholars thought this meant that Alchemy should not be released. It was, indeed, a widespread belief. But there's more... It keeps going. _Should Alchemy return to the world through Sol, its Raw Power will bring corruption and chaos... The balance would be disrupted, the Raw Power will corrupt the lands, craving for the energies to be tempered once again._

"Interesting," Rief added. "Note the way they keep using the words "raw power" again and again. And here... Here it talks about the Grave Eclipse. _Even as Sol shall wreak havoc with his Raw Energy, Luna will cry for her turn. When her power, too, is released atop the Tower through the three machines working in discordant harmony, her power will ravage the land in Darkness, in Death and Despair._

"_Yet, the machines also work to power Apollo Sanctum, and his light, ignited, will end the Grave Eclipse, returning the power to Sol. Only then can the process be completed, with Apollo's light making way through the darkness to his sister, Artemis. When Artemis Sanctum is lit, the Powers of Sol and Luna will be at peace, and the Raw Power of Alchemy tamed."_

Rief went silent, and the rest echoed him in that. No one said a word. They were all trying to figure out what had just been read.

"Artemis Sanctum?" Matthew sighed. "Not another one..."

"Yeah. And it gets worse..." Rief admitted. He picked up another book. "I looked for anything about Artemis Sanctum... But the only thing I could find was that it didn't exist. Apparently, all records of it disappeared before Alchemy was sealed in the first place... Before that passage I read was even written. It's long lost."

"Well, that's pretty stupid," Tyrell said. "How the hell do you lose a Sanctum?"

"By not using it, keeping it secret to all but a few..." Kraden said, thinking of Sol Sanctum and the Lighthouses.

"By forgetting what it's even for, or not being capable of lighting it..." Amiti said, thinking of the Alchemy Well and the other machines.

"By taking it off the face of Weyard," Seth said. Even though he'd spoken quietly, his words resounded in the library. Everyone turned to face him.

"What do you mean?" Matthew asked.

Seth shook his head, blonde hair swaying in front of his eyes. "I should think it obvious... Sol and Luna, Apollo and Artemis... Lord Sun and Lady Moon... They all mean the same thing, really. And, much as Apollo Sanctum is tied to Sol... I'd assume Artemis Sanctum is tied to a sister Sanctum, too."

Kraden gasped as he realized where Seth was going with this. Seth turned to him. "That's right, Kraden. Anemos. Artemis Sanctum is lost... Because they took it with them when they disappeared."

Karis frowned. "But... Isn't there a rumor...?"

Seth nodded. "Yeah. They still speak of it in Contigo. The Anemos flew off and became the moon. I don't know how accurate that is... Maybe a _false_ moon..."

"Okay, new problem," Tyrell complained. "How the hell do we get to the moon?"

"Well... It's just an idea, but..." Amiti said, hesitantly, thinking.

"What?" Karis asked.

Amiti frowned, then spoke up. "You know... Catch a lift."

Takeru and Eos inhaled sharply, realizing what Amiti was thinking. "That's right!" Eos said. "Alex is trying to find Artemis Sanctum, too... The Tuaperang... Their airships..."

"Hold on a moment," Karis said. "If what Alex is trying to accomplish with them is finding Artemis... Why the hell does he need us to do it for him? What's holding him back?"

"Why does he want Artemis lit in the first place?" Amiti said, quietly.

"Now, now..." Piers chided. "I see where you're headed... But we don't need to keep asking questions. You know what you're looking for. You know where to find more information. In fact, I myself can point you in the direction of another society tied to the moon... I'm sure Kraden well remembers it..."

Kraden nodded. "Garoh?"

"Yes, Garoh," Piers agreed. "Sveta will probably feel right at home," he added, chuckling a bit.

"Why?" Sveta asked.

"The people there are lycanthropes," Kraden said.

"Lyca—whats?" Tyrell asked.

"Werewolves," Rief said.

"Wow, really?" Sveta asked. "Where is Garoh?"

"It's in southern Osenia," Piers said. "You could head over that way, then north through Indra and Gondowan to Contigo... That's where Anemos Sanctum is. You could do some searching there, though Isaac, Felix and the rest of us already thoroughly searched that area long ago. If you still have nothing..."

"We keep looking," Eos said. "We don't give up."

"Yeah!" Tyrell agreed. "And if we meet up with Alex and the Tuaperang along the way..."

"We bust in and steal their ride, and search the skies!" Eoleo finished, giving Tyrell a high-five.

"Brilliant," Amiti muttered. "So we have a plan, let's get going."

Piers nodded. "You lot have lingered here long enough... We best go on tomorrow, first thing in the morning."

"Right," Matthew agreed. "At dawn."

…

The next morning, as promised, the party sailed away from the great city of Lemuria. As they made their way south, the two ships remained side by side—Pier's winged craft, and Eoleo's, which had once belonged to Briggs.

Piers handed a map to Kraden, over the short distance between the boats. "The lands have changed, but this map should help. I ensure you, dear friend, of it's accuracy. May it be your guide, as I may be no longer."

Piers turned to Nowell, who yet lingered on his ship. "Nowell, I have a request for you, child."

Nowell perked up, curious. "Yes, Captain Piers?"

"Go with Matthew and his friends. Lend them your power. Promise me?"

Nowell hesitated, glancing from the party to Piers and back again. Then she bowed, tears filling her eyes. "I understand, Captain Piers. I will do as you request... And I will see you again. But may I ask you a favor in return?"

Everyone was silent, and finally Piers asked, "What do you ask of me?"

Nowell flushed. "Ah... Well... C-could you... Could you give me just one kiss, Captain Piers?"

On Eoleo's ship, Kraden burst into loud laughter, and several of the others managed to either flush or stare in shock. Rief actually managed both.

Piers himself looked somewhere between embarrassment and shock. He glanced at Kraden and the others, then sighed and walked over to Nowell. "Very well. One kiss, that's all..."

He bent forward to kiss her on the cheek, but Nowell turned her head at the last instant to catch his mouth for a brief moment. Then Piers broke away and, flushed, turned his back to the others, walking over to the steering wheel. Nowell, composed if slightly red in the face, made her way to the side of the ship and stepped over the threshold onto Eoleo's. As Piers cast off away from them, he did turn back to smile at them, waving. "See you, friends. I'm off to Kalay—When next we meet, it will be a grand reunion indeed. Farewell, and good luck!"

"Farewell! Good luck!" Rief chimed, with the rest following in his example.

"And thank you," Amiti added to himself.

_Nowell has joined the party!_

Matthew winced, and Sveta's ears twitched as she turned her head to look at him in confusion. Matthew just grinned at her, and she shrugged and turned away. Matthew shook his head. _Okay, Dad... I'm really starting to understand you a lot better.  
_

..._  
_

When Pier's ship was but a speck on the horizon and the members of the party were back to their various tasks aboard the ship, Kraden and Rief turned to Nowell.

"What the heck is wrong with you?" Rief asked. "You should never have done that to Piers!"

Kraden started laughing all over again. "Well, she certainly had no modesty, did she? Ah, youth!" Kraden sighed.

Nowell blushed again. "I... I just slipped. That's all."

"Oh ho ho~!" Kraden laughed, striding off and heading belowdecks.

When she was sure no one was looking, Nowell sighed, tears welling in her eyes. Yeah, she'd meant to do what she did... But the result had not been what she'd hoped for.

She knew Piers didn't love her. What's more, she was sure he was in still in love with someone else, someone he'd lost somehow long, long ago...

…

In the distance, Piers wiped a hand over his mouth, absolutely shocked by Nowell's actions. The poor girl, he thought briefly. The poor, poor girl. She just had to fall for him, only to have her heart broken.

Then the mariner's thoughts turned to Kalay and his friends awaiting him there.

Especially the one he'd fallen for, the one who'd broken his heart.

"It wasn't her fault," He chided himself. "I never even bothered to tell her how I really felt about her. My own sense of honor and propriety is what ruined it."

In hindsight, Piers realized that he'd made the same mistake with Nowell this time as he'd made with Jenna thirty years ago.

Oh well. Too late to worry over it now.

...

**Author:** :) So, my many hints up till now come into the light... Maybe. I'm not going into it too much, because I guess the mythological inspiration is pretty obvious. Apollo and his twin sister, Artemis, happen to be my favorite Greek gods. By the way, if you check back in chapter nine, that was foreshadowed all the way back then. Seriously. Also, the stuff in the book is kind of taken from Ivan's mouth a bit in the real game, about the raw power... And that's what set me thinking about taming it. Oh, and for those who've only played Dark Dawn... Garoh's a real town in TLA. It's what I thought they were talking about when "beastmen" first came up. I was shocked when it was never even mentioned. Oh well.

Also, I decided to go ahead and throw in the reference to Jenna here since several of you mentioned being Hotspringshippers, too. I'm so glad about that! I've searched for Piers/Jenna stories before, but they are few and far between...

And... I really don't like Sailingshipping. I'm going to try and sink that in this fic, just so you know. Ick. That scene was so hard to write... But I don't really dislike Nowell. I just think she has some issues. So... Anyone up for a renewal of Steamshipping with Tyrell and Nowell? ...For some reason, I feel like heading that way. Dunno though.

So, as of this chapter, the third party is completed. Takeru, Eos, Seth, and Nowell. Three guesses as to what their weapons are. Just kidding. Takeru has the Cloud Brand, Eos Phaethon's Blade, Seth has Excalibur (which is awesomeness), and Nowell has Clotho's Distaff. As for the rest... Matthew has the Sol Blade, Tyrell Leviathan, Karis a Sylph Rapier, Rief Lachesis's Rule, Amiti Masamune, Sveta the Umbra Claws, Eoleo Kikuichimonji, and Himi has an Atropos Rod.

Also, just to clarify family trees as of now (without spoiling anything), here's a list.

Jenna and Felix were siblings, so that makes Matthew and Seth cousins. Matthew's father is Isaac and Seth's mother, Sheba. Alex and Mia were cousins (though it never clarifies better than that...) so Alex's son, Amiti, and Mia's children, Nowell and Rief, are second-cousins. Himi and Takeru are siblings, the children of Susa and Kusinada (who were minor characters in TLA.) Eoleo is the son of Briggs and Chaucha, and Obaba's great-grandson. The rest... Tyrell is Garet's son, Karis is Ivan's daughter, Eos is Karst's, and everyone should know Sveta was Volcheck's sister. I'm pretty sure that's everyone of significance... Though for those of you who didn't have the original games, Garet also has a couple siblings. They weren't officially named, but around the fandom his older sister is known as Kay and his little brother is Aaron. Isaac's parents are Kyle and Dora and Felix and Jenna's parents were never named. That's just about all.

Anyway, thanks for reading!

**Supaku: **Yay! Glad you think so. I loved writing that. :) Obviously I'm also glad about the Hotspringshipping, and the Tyrell/Matthew moment was something I'd been wanting to do as well. People don't take Tyrell seriously enough (myself included... heh...) As for Eos and Seth... I'm glad they're working out. I don't want my OC's to steal the spotlight, though, so I didn't want to write about them there. Maybe a flashback later? Anyway... I've already left your story some reviews. I really like it. Keep it up! :)**  
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**Kaiora: **I dunno... It may be your Amiti obsession acting up. Lol. It'll get back to him shortly, but this chapter doesn't really have too much of him either, nor does the next one. Thanks, though!**  
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**Heckenschutze: **Thanks! I'm glad you like my character development, including Eos and Seth. Character is one of my strong points, I've noticed... And oftentimes character drives the plot anyway, so I like to flesh them out and give them personality. It's a bit difficult when there's so many, though... Glad you like the Stormshipping. More of that to come. :)**  
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**Smasher. The-Keyblade-Bearer: **The family tree thingy is up there. Hope that clears things up. Thanks for the review!**  
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**Mirabelle456: **Aw. :( It's okay. And I'm so glad I'm not the only one! It's Piers's comments at the end that get me. You know, where he tells off the Wise One for hurting her parents, and later he's the one to bring up the way she'd been crying... Made me wonder, you know? Sorry that this is his last chapter for a while, but he got more screen time than most (besides Felix...) and he _will_ be coming back. (Rather awesomely, I may say.) So don't be too sad... :) Thanks!**  
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	20. Full Moon Night

_Chapter Twenty: Full Moon Night_

Garoh, according to the map Piers had given the group, was still in the same place it had been before the Golden Sun event. That is, towards the center of Osenia, south of Yallam and Air's Rock, and southeast of Alhafra and the Yampi desert. When the party stood below the tall cliffs that surrounded the secluded town, they could not help but stare up at them in wonder.

Sveta took a step forward, eyes wide in curiosity. "The... The pictures..."

Indeed, along the faces of the cliffs were glyphs made long ago by the inhabitants of Garoh. At the foot of the cliffs, the figures were all people. As the path along the cliffs wound it's way upwards, the figures slowly transformed into wolves until it came to the top, where all the figures were wolves.

Sveta turned back to the party. "Come on, everyone. I want to meet these people of Garoh."

Matthew nodded, and the group set about climbing their way up the steep path to the town.

It was late afternoon by the time they completed the climb, and the party was tired, but Sveta was inspired by a insatiable desire to meet the werewolves that made Garoh their home... And her passion to move ahead inspired everyone else. Matthew especially could feel it, deep in the pit of his stomach. When his eyes perchance met hers, his heart went wild. There were glimmers of gold in her deep green eyes. Was he the only one who saw them? His own vision, he realized, seemed very crisp. It was as if his emotions were affecting him strangely. Wouldn't be the first time.

There was a circular lake at the top of the rise, with strangely reflective still waters. Kraden smiled as he looked at it. The scholar was the only one in the group who'd been here before, Matthew realized.

"What is it, Kraden?" Amiti asked. "Why the smile?"

Kraden chukled. "Oh, nothing really. I was just remembering the first time I ever saw that pool of water with Felix, Sheba, and Jenna... Piers was not with us yet, then. It took us a long time to reach the summit, and it was night by the time we got here. A full moon night, no less. The water reflected the moon perfectly, and we all thought we heard a wolf howling somewhere in the distance..."

Kraden's eyes were distant, and his smile suddenly broadened. "Sheba and Jenna were a bit flustered by the howling, and while they were busy wondering what to do Felix looked on ahead and suddenly went pale in shock. What do you know? There was a little werewolf taking a walk in the moonlight. Sheba took one look at him and cried out in surprise, which startled him. He jumped and ran off, yipping. I think he was more frightened than we were! Oh ho ho!"

Everyone laughed along with Kraden, but for some of them it seemed rather hollow. Truly, it was hard to laugh when thinking of days when Felix, Jenna, and Sheba had been traveling on their own. Especially considering all the trials that came after... How things had turned out for the three of them.

"Anyway..." Kraden sighed, "It's been a long time since then. Why, that boy probably has children of his own by now! What a thought..."

Karis laughed. "I bet he'll be surprised to see you, Kraden!"

Kraden frowned. "Are you implying something...?"

"No, Kraden," Rief said, chuckling nervously. "I'm sure she didn't mean anything..."

Eoleo smirked. "Yeah. 'Cept maybe it's a bit astonishing that you're still around."

As several of the others laughed, Kraden frowned and turned to Eoleo. "Oh, is that how it is? I must say, I was quite astonished to discover that Obaba is still around! She has no excuse, unlike me. She wasn't exposed to the energies of the elements as they formed the Golden Sun!"

Eoleo laughed. "No. True enough... But she does have a will as strong as the iron she forges—says she refuses to die until she meets a great-great grandchild at the least."

"Well... That could be a while, then..." Amiti remarked, trying his very best to keep a straight face.

Eoleo just frowned at Amiti while the others went wild with laughs. Finally, Eoleo shook his head. "Gotta hand it to you, Amiti. That was a good one. Especially considering that it's you we're talking about."

Tyrell shook his head. "Nah. You're a pirate, Eoleo. You should've heard the things Amiti was saying about your kind before Briggs saved his life."

"Yeah... Well..." Eoleo started, but he was cut off by an exclamation from farther down the path.

"I told you I heard laughter!"

"Yes, and it would seem you were right."

A child and an adult came around the bend beside the pool, and Kraden smiled at them. "Hello there!"

The man smiled. "Welcome! Garoh doesn't see outsiders too often, even in these changing times... And it's even less frequent to see Adepts."

Kraden smiled. "So, you know they're Adepts, do you?"

The man nodded. "Yes. It's usually easy to tell. Our elders speak fondly of Adepts... Apparently a group of them passed this way back when Garoh was still closed off. They opened our eyes. It would seem that we are not so different from Adepts—so of course Adepts are always most welcome here."

Kraden's smile broadened. "Ah, yes. Would you believe I was among the group you speak of?"

The child's eyes widened, and the man blinked in surprise. "You must be Kraden, then. Our elder speaks most fondly of you!"

Kraden grinned. "So, that old wolf is still alive, is he? May we meet with him?"

The man picked the child up in his arms. "Sure. I'll bring you to his cave. Follow me."

…

As the group passed through the town, Sveta got many glances from the people. Obviously they were curious about her—they probably had never before seen a beastman. Sveta just smiled at them, and held her head high. She knew these people only looked in awe, not in disdain.

When the group entered the elder's cave, the man called out for him to meet the visitors and then smiled at the group one last time before leaving them. Kraden was smiling in anticipation, wondering how amusing the look on the elder's face would be when he found out Kraden was still alive.

His expression changed completely when the elder finally appeared before them. He looked quite shocked, and then confused. "You're not...!"

The elder perked up, then his jaw dropped in shock. "Kraden! I can't believe it's really you! You haven't changed a bit!"

Kraden smiled again. "Can't say the same of you, my young friend." Indeed, what Kraden said was true—The so-called elder was not so very old at all.

The rest of the party all looked from Kraden to the elder in confusion until the elder realized their thoughts. "I apologize, my friends," he said. "I am not the elder Kraden expected. No—I'm sorry, Kraden, he passed away almost a decade ago. That's when I went forth to Air's Rock and passed my trial. I've been the elder ever since, even though I'm younger than most. It was my choice to take on the post. You see..." Here he grinned lopsidedly at the group. "I'm the werewolf pup that met the Adepts thirty years ago."

Kraden smiled. "And it's because of you that Garoh is how it is now. I commend you. Congratulations." Kraden turned to the group. "Allow me to introduce my companions."

As he went down the list, the elder listened intently. When Kraden was finished with names, the elder glanced at a few of them.

"Matthew... Yes. You have your mother's spirit. Remarkable... And Seth. You surely take after Felix... Though I see Sheba in you, too. Can you read minds as she could?"

Seth shifted uncomfortably. "That gift isn't strong in me. F—Father warned me against using it. I never tempered it, I'm afraid."

The elder nodded. "As for you, Sveta... I was not aware of the beastmen of the north. Perhaps you and I could discuss that topic later. It would be very interesting to send an envoy to Morgal and create ties between our lands. I'm sure you lot are curious about the werewolves of Garoh as well..." He chuckled. "Luck would have it, tonight's a full moon. You are all welcome to join in the festivities!'

The party smiled as one, and thanked the elder for his kindness.

…

Agains the backdrop of the bright full moon and the melodious howling that filled the night air, Matthew was surprised to find Sveta sitting by herself above the pool of reflective water. He had assumed she would be most interested in joining the celebration. Yet, something had called him away, had called him to come to the pool of water south of the town. Without saying a word, he sat down beside her, gazing with her at their reflections in the water.

"You're wondering why I'm not with the others." It was not a question.

"Kind of," Matthew admitted. "But I think I know."

Sveta nodded. "I love the full moon. Don't get me wrong. But... Full moon nights are bitter for me. It was a full moon when the Eclipse happened. It was a full moon when—when..." Here she choked up, eyes welling with tears. Not knowing what else to do, Matthew wrapped his arms around her, holding her as she shook with sobs.

Sveta finally pulled away, sniffling and shaking. "It was a full moon when my parents were murdered, Matthew. I didn't see them die, but Volchek did. What I saw when I walked into the room... The blood was the first thing I saw, and I smelled it, too... All the blood..." Sveta whimpered. "The guards had already killed their murderers, and all the bodies were strewn across the floor. Volchek was... He was crying as he knelt beside our parents. I started crying, too. He was the only one who could comfort me. And now even he is gone."

Matthew frowned, truly feeling her pain. No, really. He felt it even as she did. "Sveta... Have you noticed anything strange since Apollo Sanctum?"

Sveta sniffled, rubbing her eyes with her hands. "Huh? What do you mean?"

"Oh, I don't know... I've noticed some things. Like my vision. It feels different, somehow. I noticed golden glimmers in your eyes earlier today, Sveta..." Matthew blushed slightly. "Um. Also... I can feel whatever you're feeling. Like just now. I didn't just feel sympathetic hurt—I felt your hurts, Sveta. I could almost see into you heart, into your memories. I know it doesn't make sense, but it's the truth."

Sveta frowned. "...You know, I think I know what you mean. I've been able to sense your feelings, too... And not because I'm reading your mind. No. It's different than that. You... You think it has to do with what we did at Apollo Sanctum?"

Matthew nodded. "Yeah." He bit his lip, looking at her. "Do you regret it?"

"Regret it? What do you mean?" Sveta asked. Then she smiled. "Why? Do you regret it, Matthew?"

The way she was smiling combined with the emotions Matthew sensed coming from her... It was enough to make him blush a florescent red. But he summed up all his courage and grinned at her. "No," He said. One word, one simple answer.

Sveta smiled. "Well, good. I don't have any regrets, either."

Matthew looked back into the water, at their reflections that were lit from behind by the bright full moon. Silently, he reached out and took her hand in his. "You know, Sveta... The best way to ease a hurt like yours is to make a full moon night a happy memory instead..." He confided, glancing back at her. His heart was beating wildly again, his vision crisp and clear.

Sveta smiled, meeting his gold-speckled eyes with her own. "Yeah. I know," she said, leaning against him and tilting her head to catch his mouth in a kiss.

_Definitely no regrets..._ Matthew thought to himself, satisfied.

...

**Author: **For all you Matthew fans and Soulshippers out there... This chapter's for you. I planned it from the start, of course. I knew the story would be centered around others like Amiti, but I want Matthew to get his turn as well.

The idea of the little pup guy becoming the next elder popped into my head on my second TLA playthrough, so there you go.

I'm making up the thing about Sveta's family... But it could've happened. Poor Sveta.

Anyway... Next chapter brings the group to Alhafra. After that, it's Tolbi. If I say any more than that, I might give something away. Lol.

**Supaku: **Yep, I've read Percy Jackson. I really liked the ideas behind it, though it was a bit below my usual reading level. Currently I'm reading A Song of Ice and Fire. It's good too. I really am swaying towards Tyrell/Nowell at the moment... And I really feel sorry for Piers. I think he should confess to Jenna. And yeah, the reunion's gonna be awesome, I hope. As for Eos and Seth... Of course I'm not through with them.:) Thanks for your review! **  
**

**Heckenschutze: **Yep, you got it. :) I find it cool that, recently, I stumbled upon someone who thought a Proxian party member would be sweet. Obviously I agree. As for Piers and Nowell... Heck, I even thought pairing Piers with _Jenna_ was probably pushing it... Lol. I really hope that doesn't go anywhere.**  
**

**Kaiora: **Thanks. Hope you like this one. It's not Stormshipping, but I had fun writing it anyway! :)**  
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	21. Moving On

_Chapter Twenty-One: Moving On_

The next couple days the party remained in Garoh. The elder was genuinely intrigued by Sveta and her people. He had her show off her beastform to the villagers. They were amazed when they learned she actually had control over the transformation.

"You know..." The man who'd met them at the gate said to Sveta after her demonstration, "I don't know if I'd prefer to be a beastman, though. I mean, with our kind we actually look human most of the time, except on full moon nights. You may be able to control the transformation itself, but you always look... different."

Sveta's ears twitched. "Your elder always looks different. Is there anything really wrong with that? You _are_ different, whether you look it or not. It's a fact of life. Be proud of it."

The man smiled. "Oh, trust me, I am. The people of Garoh are quite proud to be what we are nowadays."

The elder also spoke to the party of the legendary Air's Rock and the ability it granted to those who reached it's summit. Naturally, this got the party wanting to go there and see it for themselves. Kraden started laughing uncontrollably.

"You kids have no idea what you're getting yourselves into there," he said. "The trial is hardly worth it." Matthew smirked. Kraden's statement only made him want to climb it even more. Kraden sighed. "Oh dear. I know that look a bit too well... Jenna always got that look on her face when she was determined to do something her way no matter how dangerous or stupid it was. Fine. Have it your way, Matthew. Go climb the stupid rock."

So, after bidding farewell to their new friends in Garoh, the next day was spent climbing Air's Rock. They even came by a few treasure chests that had never been opened. When they did finally reach the inner sanctuary and find the tablet, they spent some time arguing over who might be meant by "Wielder of Wind's might," since they had a total of three Wind Adepts among them.

Finally, Kraden got fed up with them. Really, now, the poor old man had already been dragged through this dungeon once. Who can blame him for being a little annoyed with the party? "Just let one of them touch it. Hell, have _all_of them touch it! Let's just get it over with and get on with this journey! It just grants the ability 'Reveal' anyway! Do you really need the damned ability? Himi has 'Search' and Amiti's got 'Insight' already! Reveal's not so awesome anymore, apparently!"

Matthew and the rest just stared at Kraden in absolute shock.

"Um..." Karis started.

Tyrell frowned. "You know what, old man? Maybe we _don't_ need 'Reveal.' So? Maybe we just saw a big, damned rock in the middle of an otherwise flat desert wasteland and _wanted_ to climb it. You know. Just because."

Kraden shook his head. "Leave it to you to come up with that logic."

Tyrell frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?" He pointed at Matthew. "He feels the same way! Right, Matthew?"

Matthew pouted, looking all around as if disinterested. Tyrell just wrung his hands in disbelief. "Oh, for the love of—What, you go back to being your sullen, silent self now of all times? Give me some support, man!"

Matthew just smiled and spread his hands, shrugging. Sveta, Karis, and Amiti laughed. It was priceless.

"Kraden has a point, though," Sveta sighed. "We don't have time to goof off and just go around climbing mountains for the heck of it. We have to move on."

Matthew nodded. He looked at Seth and pointed to the rock, smiling.

Seth looked at him in sincere worry. "Seriously, Matthew, is something wrong? Cat got your tongue or something? You've been quiet for the past few days."

Matthew glanced at Sveta, then blushed and shook his head. Tyrell raised an eyebrow. "You know, Seth, you might not be far from the mark. I think the kitty-dog has his tongue."

Sveta slapped Tyrell. That is, she used 'Slap' on him. He hit the ground with a googly-eyed expression on his face. "Oooof..."

To this, Amiti, Karis, and Rief nodded. "That's more like it," Karis said. "Those two are back to their usual selves. Now..." She turned to Amiti, grinning broadly. "You're next!"

Amiti frowned. "I prefer to think of myself as a dynamic character."

"Yeah," Matthew said, helping Tyell up. "I agree. Let's get back to business, shall we? Seth, we're here now, we might as well give it a shot. I think you're the best candidate."

Seth nodded, and touched the stone. Light spread out from it, entering him. His eyes glowed white, and white energy passed through him. Once it was over, he shook his head. "Wow," he said, blinking. Then he stared at the others. "Did you guys hear that?"

Matthew shook his head. "Hear what?"

"This thing's supposed to grant the ability to 'see the truth unclouded.' Well, I just heard a voice telling me that I have gained 'Reveal,' but I could've sworn I heard another voice, much fainter, saying..." He looked up, and into the distance.

"What, Seth?" Amiti prodded.

Seth frowned. "It said, "the truest truths are hidden in the heart," whatever that means."

Amiti frowned. "Well, maybe it means... We already know what we need to know. Only... We don't realize it yet."

Matthew nodded. "However our minds may tell us one thing, what we believe in our hearts is the truest truth. Like... My mind tells me we shouldn't trust Felix, but my heart wants to."

Seth nodded, then he bit his lip. "Yeah... I know that. But..." He didn't dare say what he was thinking. Not out loud. Seth closed his eyes, then opened them again and smiled at the group. "Let's get moving, guys. We've got to go."

In silence, the group went on, heading north through the caves to Alhafra.

…

Alhafra had been a ragged town when Felix's group passed through, as it had been suffering from the effects of a tidal wave. This was the town where the group first met and fought the pirate Briggs, where they'd cleared the name of Captain Piers and released their future friend and companion from the jail in Madra. Eoleo still remembered it. How sad his mother had been, how his father had winked at him from the jail cell after yelling at "those meddling kids" who'd gotten him stuck in the brig. Ah, good times. He'd only been two at the time, but he'd played a vital role in breaking the pirates free—he'd used his Psynergy to steal the key and unlock the door.

He wondered what the Alhafrans would think of him now.

Well, there was only one way to find out!

The party walked straight up to the mayor's door, and Eoleo, grinning from ear to ear, knocked as loudly as he could. Sounds of hurried footsteps came from beyond it, and finally it opened. The servant took one look at Eoleo's grinning face and stepped back in shock. "What in the...?"

"Hello, we're here to see the mayor," Eoleo said in his most polite tone. A, needless to say, disturbingly polite tone coming from him. "Is he in?"

"Ah... Hold on a moment."

The servant closed the door, locked it with a clicking sound, and ran off. Eoleo snickered. "Dumbass."

"Wow, Eoleo... I think you really freaked him out..." Tyrell said, laughing.

"Wouldn't be the first time."

"Say, Eoleo... What do you think the mayor's gonna say?" Karis asked. "The way Jenna talks about him, he doesn't sound very likable..."

Seth scoffed. "Well, gee, you think? According to Felix, not only does he break promises, he makes them with intent to crawl out of them. Oh, and apparently he's rude about it, too, making the other party out to be the ones at fault. He got pissed at Felix's group for not bringing Briggs to justice."

"He's a total ass," Eoleo agreed. "I remember that much."

"This better be important!" A booming voice that could only belong to the mayor came from inside.

Eoleo grinned again. "Ah, so he _is_ still alive."

Kraden huffed. "Cowards _do_ tend to live longer." Everyone turned to look at Kraden, who frowned. "Not that it's always the case!"

Rief and Nowell giggled, but their giggles were cut off by the door slamming open. The mayor, thirty years older, was balder, fatter, and uglier than ever. He took one look at Eoleo, and stepped backwards in shock. Eoleo smirked. "Hello, mayor. Been a while. Remember me?"

"NOT YOU!" He screamed.

Eoleo turned to face Matthew and the rest. "I'll take that as a yes."

"You're that damned pirate's damned brat! You're the one who broke them out!"

"Hell, yeah!" Eoleo said. "That's me! Eoleo, son of Briggs, pirate king of Champa! When we came here, I had every intent to punch you in your sorry face, but I changed my mind."

The mayor frowned. "Oh, really? So, then... What _are_ you going to do, rob me blind?"

Seth smirked. "Nah. Our parents already took care of that, from what I hear."

Eoleo snickered, laughing. "Ya really want to know what I'm gonna do? I'll tell you! In your face! Nya! Nya, nya, nyaaaa!" Eoleo pulled down his right eyelid, sticking his tongue out and hopped around on one foot. It was the very same thing Briggs had done as he'd left Alhafra on the boat Felix had fixed all that time ago.

The rest of the party sighed. Karis shook her head. "What, that's it? That's the best you could think of? That's just plain childish."

Eoleo blinked, shocked. "Wow, Karis... You just said the same thing my mother did."

"GET OUT! I never want to see your sorry face again—Yours _or_ your damned father's!" The mayor said, slamming the door shut.

Eoleo frowned, then kicked the door. "Yeah, well—no worries there, bastard! My Dad's dead—and he died with more honor than you'll _ever_ have! Screw you! Nya!"

On that note, the party quietly left Alhafra, considering themselves seriously lucky that the mayor didn't send armed guards after them. Oh, Eoleo...

…

Not long after, the group came to Madra. This town, though in close proximity to Alhafra, was almost it's perfect opposite as far as friendliness was concerned. The mayor of this town, a man in his fifties, took one look at the party and welcomed them into his house.

"You're their children, aren't you? You look so like your parents. How are they, may I ask?" He smiled at Matthew.

"Well..." Matthew started, and the group filled him in on the goings on.

When Captain Pier's name was mentioned, the old man smiled. "Ah, it gladdens me to hear he is well. You know, we held him in our prison for a long time, thinking he was a Champan pirate. Not only were we wrong about him, we were wrong to think so lowly of the Champans. Briggs and the rest are truly noble people." He smiled at Eoleo, who had been quiet the whole time. The mayor took one look at his face and frowned in confusion. "Eoleo? Is something wrong?"  
Eoleo shrugged. "Yeah, well... What you say is no longer entirely true. Dad died during the Eclipse, saving me..."

The mayor frowned, genuinely sorrowful to hear this. "I regret your loss. He truly was a good man."

"Yeah," Eoleo said, nodding. "I know."

With that, Eoleo got up and walked out of the room. The rest looked after him, not really knowing what to do or say—he was the one they usually turned to for advice, they never even thought he might need some, too.

Finally, Amiti stood up. "Excuse me, please."

Matthew nodded, and Amiti left the room. Seth followed him, too, without a word.

It was somewhat cool outside in the night air. Eoleo was standing on the balcony, staring out at the stars, one leg propped up on the parapets. "Eoleo...?" Amiti asked, barely audiable.

The pirate turned to face him for a moment before turning back to the sky. "Amiti... You don't have to say anything. I'm all right. Why'd you follow me, anyway?"

"Because... I wanted to apologize. I was really stuck up when we first met, and I thought myself above people like you. Pirates. I used to think them dirty and untrustworthy... But that was truly naïve of me. I trust you with my life, Eoleo, and while you may be crude on the outside, you have a noble heart. I just wanted to tell you so. I'm sure Briggs raised you to be a good person, even if you had to be a pirate. He, too, must have been a good man."

"I couldn't agree more," Seth said, moving to stand beside Eoleo as well. Eoleo took one look at him and smiled with gratitude. The wind picked up, messing up their hair. Seth took a deep breath and released it. "There's a storm coming," he said, before he glanced at Eoleo and went on. "I wish I could've met Briggs. It was one of those things I used to think about doing, going off and meeting him. Guess now I've lost my chance. I can only hope the same doesn't happen with the rest..."

Eoleo nodded, clapping Seth on the shoulder. "What is the rest? You wouldn't mind talking about it, would you?"

Seth shrugged, frowning. He ran his fingers through his sandy hair, then let his hand fall. It clasped into a fist, and his violet eyes lit with determination. "I want to save my father," he said. "And I don't mean the Felix we're fighting, either... Not the Felix I know. I want to save my father, the dad who should've been there for me when I was growing up but wasn't. The father I know he wanted to be."

Seth shook his head. "Sometimes..." Seth paused, tilting his head up, looking at the stars. Then he smiled wistfully. "I wish things had happened differently. I wish I'd grown up with them. Both of them, Felix and Sheba. I asked Felix about her once... Before I started going off on my own—after I found out Karst wasn't my real mother. It hurt him, I know, to think of her, but he told me all sorts of stories. The way his eyes lit up... Man, he loved her something awful. I wish I could've known her, too."

Amiti was staring out into the sky, too, towards the moon that was rising. He was trying hard not to let his thoughts stray to his own wounds, yet they were welling up inside him anyway. _I want to save him. _Amiti shivered. _I wish I could've known her, too._

Amiti bit his lip, trying to hold back the tears that were welling up in his eyes, clouding his vision, but it wasn't working. Eoleo glanced at him and frowned. "Hey, Amiti—what's wrong? You crying? What is it?"

Amiti shook his head, wiping away the stray tears that had gotten away from him. "N-nothing. I just... I need to be alone right now." With that, he ran off up to the room he was to stay in.

Amiti threw himself onto the bed and buried his face in the pillow, letting the tears fall as they would. Karis had told him not to be afraid, not to hold it all in forever. Amiti knew she'd been right. It was better to feel all his sorrow, to feel it all and let it go. It was what he needed the most.

It was what set him apart from Alex, who was afraid to feel anything. Amiti knew that, too. Oh, he might not know _why_ Alex was so afraid, but he knew that Alex was. So Amiti had to be brave.

Because Amiti did not want to be like Alex... Not like the Alex he knew.

But somewhere, in the confused torrents in his heart, Amiti really did want to be like Alex. That is, like the Alex who used to be. The Alex Mia had known in their childhood.

The Alex who should've been.

...

**Author: **Heh heh. Well, there you go. A bit more on the werewolves, a semi-useful and all around hilarious trip to Air's Rock, a pointless but funny trip to the mayor of Alhafra, and a bit of relief in Madra. Good times.

A few things I wanted to say. One, I feel kind of bad for Kraden in the games. He's an old man who gets dragged around by these young people on their crazy adventures, and he never even complains. Oh, well. At least he isn't charged at the inns. (Seriously, what's up with that? Senior's discount? Lol.)

Also... Air's Rock is the mother of all dungeons in TLA. Reveal was actually needed back then.

Seth's comment to the mayor of Alhafra is true. Felix's party can actually open the chests in his little cave. I always make a point of doing so. :)

As for Eoleo's actions there... For those of you who don't know, that's actually roughly equivalent to flipping someone off in Japan. Lol.

So this chapter serves as a bit of relief, and hopefully will make people smile. The next chapter's a bit more serious, but still humorous too.

I said it in my note last chapter: Tolbi. For those who know about Tolbi... You outta know what's coming. :)

**Heckenshutze: **Thanks. And I have my fingers crossed. I mean, I'll be happy with the next one no matter what, but some of the things they could work in would just make it that much better.**  
**

**Smasher. The-Keyblade-Bearer: **Hmm... Well, first of all, Soulshipping is also called Spiritshipping and Apolloshipping. I think Soul is actually a more uncommon name, but I like it best. It's because of the soul thing, correct, but also because it sounds like Sol, for the sun and Sol Sanctum, all that stuff. The golden glint in Sveta's eye is referring to the way her eyes actually turn gold at Apollo Sanctum if you look closely at the ending. Matthew's do, too. And yeah, that's a plot point. As for the character attitudes... I think I started this with Matthew not talking a whole lot, and I'm not sure when that changed... Hmm... I sort of played off that this chapter, but rest assured I'll do what I can to have him not talk too often. :) As for Tyrell, I started this fic using him as comedy relief, but because I sort of have this thing for comedy relief characters turning serious you can expect that towards the end (with plenty of humor still included, though.) And the Sveta thing is a one-time deal. She got carried away with excitement wanting to meet the werewolves. Anyway... Hope you like this chapter! And I, too, wonder about that mask... Hmm...**  
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**barefootbean: **Wow, thanks. That's a serious compliment. :) I've had people comment on how the references to the originals has been confusing, so it's cool to hear someone saying the opposite. I'm glad you like my style, considering the fact that I have hopes of becoming a writer/graphic novelist someday. It's a good sign. :)**  
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**GraysonPaladin: **Thank you. I'm glad you like it. As for the pacing, I do apologize. I realize it is fast at points, and perhaps I need to go fix a few of the intervals time-wise. It's hard to tell sometimes... Anyhow, thanks for pointing that out! I've said it before that I do plan to revise this when it's done, so re-reading then it would probably prove a good idea...**  
**

**Supaku: **Sorry the last chapter was a bit short. It's one I plan to expand upon when I'm done, seeing as how this plot's really involved as is. Dunno if you mean you wanted more of that scene, but the reason for cutting it off where I did is that it lets the readers fill in the gaps as they wish. As for Sveta's parents... I don't remember exactly, darn it. I think it mentioned them dying during the revolution, though I can't recall if they just said "died" or if they actually said "were murdered." Anyhow, I can guess it would be rather bloody either way. I kind of took liberties with that. Anyway, thanks for the review! :) Can't wait for more of your story!**  
**

**Kaiora: **Lol. Honestly, I don't think I'd really mind it that much. But I don't know. Handled well, it could be okay. To each their own, that's my belief. I also am careful with my passions about shipping ever since the ending of Avatar: The Last Airbender. That really bothered me, and when I thought about it I realized the reason was that I got too set on just one option. I should've "kept my brain open to the possibilities," as Bumi said. Anyway, thanks. Hope you like this chapter!

**Mirabelle456: **First of all... Yay! I love Jon! He's my favorite character, followed up by Arya. (And yeah, I heard about the Tv show. Also, did you know they're making a new one? It's starring the same guy who played Boromir in Lord of the Rings.) Thanks for your review, and hope you keep enjoying this! There's a lot more awesome stuff waiting to happen.**  
**


	22. Legacy

_Chapter Twenty-Two: Legacy_

Amiti woke up the next morning, clutching at his pillows like a child. He shook his head, aware that he'd fallen asleep crying and hadn't even changed his clothes the night before. He felt his face, and found it tear-stained. There was a ache in his neck where he'd slept wrong.

His first thoughts were self-criticizing. He'd been trying so hard of late to act like the man everyone expected him to be, and here he had cried himself to sleep like a baby. "Wuss," he muttered to himself. "It's time to quit acting like a child. What would Uncle think? Or mother? I'm nineteen years old, twenty come winter. It's time to grow up, face the harsh truths of the world."

Still, as he stood up and stretched, he couldn't help but smile. He really did feel better. _Much_ better. Oh, he still ached a bit inside, true enough. His griefs cut deep, they'd take a while yet to heal... But the torrents had subsided within him, and he felt collected and calm.

Amiti opened a window and took a deep breath of the clean, cool morning air. Seth had been right, there had been storms overnight. They'd left the air thick with the scent of rain. Summer was ending, autumn was well on it's way.

It was time to get moving.

The party bid farewell to Madra, heading west with the dawning sky behind them. Along the way across Indra, they spoke amongst themselves, argued over Pier's map and the direction they needed to go, snacked on the foods they'd brought along... The same as ever. But it was as though some of the tension had evaporated after their little detours. They were ready to get back to business.

And yet, at every turn of the road another detour beckoned them. In southern Gondowan the party had to stop in Naribwe and pass through Gatomba. Kraden was curious as to how Gatomba's holy man was doing of late, a man named Akufubu. Evidently this was the town where Piers had first joined Felix's quest, and Akufubu was the one who had unknowingly caused their troubles here. He'd stolen the orb that controlled the Lemurian ship, and it took a lot of effort to get it back.

Kraden had reason to worry—Akufubu, when last seen by Felix's party, had been sullen and angered by his own failures. Kraden couldn't help but wonder if the years had been kind to Akufubu... or cruel.

Upon their arrival, however, the truth was obvious. Gatomba was flourishing beyond what Kraden could've imagined the little tribal village would ever become. Akufubu was singing and laughing with his children when the group wandered up to him, and when he saw Kraden he stood up and smiled.

"Old friend!" He laughed. "You've come to see Akufubu at last, have you? Welcome!"

Needless to say, it was a short but welcome stay. No one knows how to throw a bonfire party like the Gatombans. Eoleo got wonderfully drunk and began singing classic pirate songs. Amiti disapproved, of course, but Eoleo wasn't about to let anyone tell him what he could or could not do.

When the Gatomban people began to dance around the fire, the party was captivated by their dance and the way the fire seemed to move in sync with them. Eoleo, laughing, got up and tried to dance along with them. Seth smirked at him, shaking his head in pity. His eyes turned away from the flames for a moment, meeting Eos's, and he smiled.

Eos bit her lip, then stood up and held out a hand. "Come on, brother. Let's show them how we dance in Prox."

Seth looked up at her, blinking, eyes reflecting the flames. He smiled, and took her hand as he stood.

The rest of the people moved back as the two of them approached, and the party looked on in a sort of confused wonder. They'd seen Eos dance in Ayuthay at the coronation, but it shortly became obvious that her dance was really part of a duet. Spirals and leaps, the fire served as both an inspiration and a backdrop to their dance. It helped that Eos was a Fire Adept, and the flames bent to her will much as they bent to the will of the Fire Adept Gatombans.

Finally, they stopped and bowed to their onlookers. Seth led Eos back to the crowd, and returned to his seat beside his cousin Matthew.

As the flames began to die, the party retired for the night. They were up again before dawn, not wanting to be stuck in Gatomba forever. Eoleo was a bit grouchy, but he set his jaw and put up with the early awakening. "Besides," he muttered to Tyrell, "Won't be long now before we get somewhere really awesome."

Amiti sighed, not sure he wanted to go anywhere that was Eoleo's shade of awesome, but he didn't say anything.

North of Gatomba lay a fork in the road the party was exceptionally unsure of. One road continued on to the north, the other went northwest. Ahead, on the horizon, they could see a tall tower rising towards the sky, a twinkling light at it's top. Seth's eyes held fast to it, and he took a step forward down the northward road. "Venus..." He muttered, breath catching in his throat.

Venus Lighthouse, where Felix's journey had begun in truth. Until then, he'd been following Saturos, Menardi, and Alex. After taking a leap of faith—quite literally, seeing as he'd jumped from the top of the tower into the sea after Sheba—he'd been the leader of his own party, and _his_ quest had begun.

Seth shared a glance with Matthew, who didn't say a single word. Finally, Seth turned north again as a sudden wind blew south over the plains. "This road leads to Lalivero," Seth said. "To... To the town Sheba was raised in, the town where I was born."

"Shall we go, then?" Amiti asked. "We've gone to places less tied to our party, after all. Why not one more diversion? They deserve to know about the dangers we face."

Seth looked down, a wistful look in his eyes. "I've never been there since I can remember. Not since Felix and Sheba bid farewell to Faran and the rest of Sheba's foster family to head to Kalay. They don't even really know me... They probably think I'm dead, like all the others did."

Kraden rested an arm on Seth's shoulder, and Seth met the old man's gaze. "Let's go, Seth. Lead the way."

Seth blinked, unsure, a shocked look crossing his face. He glanced at Matthew, who nodded with a smile. Seth smiled broadly, then, and nodded. "Okay. Onward!"

With that, Seth set off down the path, the party at his heels.

…

Lalivero, once a dying desert town, had grown significantly in the years that had passed by. The party stopped and stood still just to stare at it before they went in the gate. The guards currently on duty were staring, too.

"It's... beautiful," Seth finally said. Then he looked at the guards and smiled. "Greetings. We've traveled quite a long way. We'd like to stay here in Lalivero if we may."

"It... It can't be," one said, walking up to Seth as he took off his helmet. His hair was wispy and gray, and there was a scar running down the right side of his face. It looked a bit odd when he smiled, but he didn't seem unfriendly.

"Should I know you...?" Seth asked.

"I don't know, young man. You tell me. I've served Faran as a soldier since I was younger than you. I was on duty long ago when we were attacked by a strange group of warriors... and saved by another group of warriors. That's when I got this scar, you see. From that Proxian woman's deathly scythe. I'm lucky to be alive."

Eos huffed. "Prox. It's always Prox, dammit. Why is it always Prox, Seth?"

Seth chuckled at her antics. "Eos, you know the Proxian warriors did use rather... controversial methods. It's a fact. Still..." Seth turned to the elder guard. "We Proxians would appreciate it if you'd mind the way you speak of us."

The guard shook his head, grinning lopsidedly. "You're no Proxian, boy. I know who you are. You were born here, in Lalivero, little more than twenty years ago. You're their son—Felix and Sheba's." His eyes twinkled with an inner fire as he looked at Seth. "So, pray tell, where are _they_? We thought it very strange of them to leave and never return."

Seth bowed his head, not looking forward to this. The guard's eyes dimmed, and he shook his head. "Come with me, Seth. Faran will want to hear this."

Seth shook his head. "I... I'm sorry... I'd rather spend little time here and be on my way again. I will... I will see Faran, though. He deserves to know of their fates."

The gates opened, and the group entered Lalivero.

Seth went away for a while to speak with Faran. The rest waited anxiously, wondering how it was going. Faran was a frail and wiry old man, but his eyes had lit up when he saw Seth. The two of them had wandered off down the halls of Faran's mansion and they hadn't seen Seth since.

Finally, they heard footsteps echoing down the hall and Seth entered the chamber. They all stared at him in surprise, and finally he smiled awkwardly. "Well? What do you think? Too odd?"

He'd changed out of his Proxian clothes. He now wore a tunic more befitting a Wind Adept, reminiscent of Sheba's... And a billowing, off the shoulder green cape much like Felix's.

Eos grinned. "You _do_ look strange, brother, but only because I've never known you to wear anything but the clothes of a warrior of Prox."

"I'm not really a warrior of Prox, though," Seth said, sighing. His smile was tinged with sorrow. "Am I? I was born in Lalivero, to a woman who fell from the sky and a man from the destroyed town of Vale. What does that make me?"

"One of the new generation of heroes?" Rief suggested.

Eos smiled. "Brother... no true warrior of Prox would doubt you if you claimed to be one of them."

Seth smiled, shaking his head. "I know, Eos. But I am not only a warrior of Prox. I'm their son, Eos. I'm a child of the Warriors of Vale."

Eos frowned. "Warriors of Vale, warriors of Prox... As their children, the world considers us a part of them—more than just their legacy. What do you think?"

Karis smiled. "I used to be unsure of that, Eos. It used to be a bittersweet topic for me and my Dad. But... No longer."

Seth frowned. "What did you decide?"

"We're great warriors, too!" Karis, said, sharing a glance with Amiti from across the room. "We need to embrace what we are, not feel bitter about the titles they give us. So let's stop being the children of the Warriors—we are the Warriors of today!"

"Wonderful!" Faran said, clapping as he came into the room. "I can just feel the energy of you young Warriors in the air! The world is safe in your hands. And what great timing to get into the Warriours spirit, too!"

The group looked at him in confusion. Faran shook his head, laughing. "You're great warriors, yet you've heard nothing of Collosso?"

Matthew, Tyrell, and Seth all perked up at the mention of Collosso, as did Karis and Eos. Tyrell jumped up in his excitement. "Whoa, really? You kidding me? Is it being held soon?"

"Next week," Faran said.

"Collosso..." Amiti muttered, turning to Matthew. "I've heard that mentioned before. Just what is it?"

"A tournament. My Dad won it thirty years ago. Wouldn't it be cool to enter it?"

"We'd better head over as soon as we can, then!" Seth laughed. "Collosso, here we come!"

"Could it get any better than this?" Tyrell asked.

Eoleo grinned, nudging Tyrell. "Actually, it can. You've never been to Tolbi, have you?"

Tyrell blinked. "What's so great about Tolbi besides Collosso?"

Eoleo smirked knowingly. "Oh, wait and see."

The party left Lalivero first thing in the morning, and rushed through Suhalla desert as quickly as the possibly could. They arrived in Tolbi the night before the tournament began, and hit the beds in exhaustion. It was going to be one hell of a day on the morrow...

…

The crowd was going wild with excitement.

Matthew grinned, holding his sword high above his head. He saw Sveta in the crowd, and she waved at him. Matthew smiled at her and blew a kiss in her direction. Sveta blushed, giggling.

Matthew was well enough surprised that the rules had said nothing about Psynergy. Surely Iodem knew of the powers—the world was aware of Adepts now. He guessed that meant it was fair game either way.

His opponent stepped into the ring, and he unleashed a flurry of Djinni action of the armored soldier.

"Take that!" Flint cried as Matthew unleashed his Venus summon.

The soldier cried out in fury and ran at Matthew, who blinked in surprise. He raised his sword again, blocking the soldier's attack... Only to be kneed in the groin.

Matthew winced and doubled up. "Hey!" Flint cried, flying at the soldier. It was no use, though, he was blinking in standby and useless now.

Matthew hit the ground, stars swimming before his eyes as the world went dark. "Matthew! Matthew, get up! Hey! Listen! Get up!"

Matthew sat up straight... and realized he was still in bed. He flushed as he realized the whole thing had only been a dream. A very painful dream. He shuddered. It kind of marred his excitement to participate in Collosso for real.

"Come on, Matthew. Get it together, man." He mumbled to himself.

Vaguely, he remembered his father mentioning a similar experience. Matthew shuddered again. _Hell no_, he thought, _I am _not_ turning into Isaac!_

"That's it!" He shouted, jumping out of bed and gathering his things. He was going to show them. He was going to show them all!

"Come on, Flint!" Matthew said, grabbing the Djinni by the tail as the elemental spirit shattered into a bunch of little golden lights.

"Eeeep!" Flint cried. "Relax, dude! You've got waaay more fire than Isaac ever did. Gosh!"

Matthew chuckled despite himself. "Pays to have a Fire Adept for a Mom, I guess."

The rest of the party were in varied states of restfulness, as usual. Eoleo, Tyrell, Seth, Takeru, Karis, Eos, and Sveta were all eager and ready. Actually, Eos's grin was downright creepy. She seemed a little too excited to watch people beat each other up like gladiators.

When Matthew asked Seth about that, he just grinned and said. "She's Proxian, what do you expect?"

Eos punched him. Hard. To which Seth just ran his fingers through his bangs and smiled at her with and easy smile. "Hey, sis. That wasn't half bad, actually. Not that it actually hurt."

Eos glared at him, and Seth burst out laughing.

Amiti came into the hall smiling broadly. "Good morning, friends! Ready for Collosso?"

"Only if you help us help Matthew cheat, your Highness." Tyrell said, chuckling.

Amiti rolled his eyes. Matthew fumed, turning a shade of red. "I told you, Tyrell, it _isn't_ cheating. Dad did the same thing—it's perfectly legal to use Psynergy!"

Tyrell smirked. "Okaay... Sure. Even so, I doubt having friends help you from the sidelines counts as fair."

Matthew pouted. "It's just for support! Besides... Dad got away with it. And the rules don't forbid it, do they?" He looked at Amiti.

Amiti sighed. "No. No, the rules say nothing about having more than just words of assistance from friends. If our Psynergy may help you... Well..." Amiti smiled. "Count me in. Anything to help a friend."

Matthew clapped Amiti on the shoulder. "Thanks, pal."

…

Collosso was difficult as ever. Three opponents, all in a row, and a race to get to the ring in the first place. Winner takes all, those are the rules of Collosso. You don't use your own equipment. You have to get to the ring first if you want the best gear. Arriving late assures you the second hand equipment. Plus, as Matthew was learning, it's not as easy as it appears to be stuck with only the unleashes of your own Djinni spirits and your own Psynergy.

Lucky for him, though, Matthew had great friends on the sidelines cheering him on. Tyrell and Karis, who he'd known all his life; Rief and Nowell, not to mention Seth and Eos, who knew the story of the Warriors as well as he did; Takeru and Himi, and also Eoleo, who had grown up aware of it and were noble and honorable friends; Sveta and Amiti, who'd grown up more secluded but proved themselves to be some of Matthew's truest friends. He trusted all of them. He trusted them with his life.

The real deal was not exactly like his dream, but when he glanced to the sidelines, his friends were smiling back at him, and he met Sveta's eyes and grinned at her. His gaze fell to Amiti, who was standing near her, and Amiti nodded at him, shouting something that probably was along the lines of, "Show them your power, Matthew! Show them who you really are!"

Who he really was. Matthew grinned, rushing at his final opponent.

As Matthew was awarded the victory, he smiled and looked around the crowd.

He knew who he was. Isaac's son, Isaac's legacy—A true Warrior of Vale.

…

Leaving the stadium, the party split up to explore Tolbi. Exhausted, Matthew decided to go straight to bed and rest. Sveta went with Himi, Rief, and Nowell to go check out the shops and replenish their supplies. Karis and Eos hung back at the stadium, calling for opponents to spar them along with Seth and Takeru. Amiti would've stayed, too, but he caught sight of Eoleo and Tyrell slipping away into the crowd and followed them in a sort of worried curiosity.

"So, what is it you want to show me, exactly?" Tyrell asked.

"Wait and see..." Eoleo chuckled.

Finally, they arrived at Eoleo's destination, a couple run-down tents buried in the heart of the town. Tyrell looked at Eoleo in confusion, then Eoleo pointed at the sign and grinned.

Tyrell took one look before breaking out into a full-fledged grin himself. He shared a glance with Eoleo and they spoke as one:

"Gambling!"

…

Amiti lost his way a bit in the crowded city. Truly, it was only by luck that he even found the two Fire Adepts toward sunset. It was Eoleo's laughter that gave them away. Odd, Amiti thought, entering the tent with no more than a passing glance to the sign. He'd never heard Eoleo laugh in such a downright depressing way.

_Gambling_, Amiti thought. _Figures._

He crept up behind the Eoleo, who was watching Tyrell throw the dice again. The _awwww_ the crowd let out as one confirmed Amiti's suspicions. "Losing, aren't you?"

Eoleo jumped slightly, whirling around to face the Water Adept. "Oh, no. You found us."

Amiti glared at the pirate. "Answer my question, Eoleo."

Eoleo rubbed his head, smiling balefully. "Yeah. Bigtime. Tyrell's not too good..."

Amiti grimaced. "How much money have you lost us?"

Eoleo chuckled nervously. "You don't want to know, Amiti." Amiti continued to glare at him. Finally, Eoleo sighed and whispered to Amiti the amount.

Amiti almost passed out. "By the gods... How in _hell_ do you manage to lose that much gold?"

Eoleo and Tyrell both winced. Tyrell raised his arms. "I'm not too good. Eoleo told you. Really, it's not my fault, this game's addicting. You wanna try?"

Amiti's eyebrow twitched. "No."

Eoleo grinned, clapping Amiti on the shoulder. "Aw, come on. You only live once, seize the day! ...Besides, it's not like you can make things worse."

Tyrell held out the dice, and Amiti glanced from one man to the other. Finally, he sighed, and held out his hand.

Tyrell gave him the dice.

…

By the lamplight, Karis and Sveta were taking a late-night stroll. So they had to go early in the mourning, heading on into the Atteka region. So what? They hadn't had a lot of time lately to speak between the two of them.

Karis grinned at Sveta. "Sooo... How's it going with you and Matthew?"

Sveta blushed. "Huh? What do you mean?"

Karis nudged her. "I saw him go after you in Garoh when you were looking a bit down, Sveta. You seemed happier after that night."

Sveta smiled, nodding. "It was nice. Matthew helped me feel better. I... I really do like him a lot."

Karis nodded. "I'm happy for you."

Sveta smirked. "What about you, Karis? I know you like Amiti—More than like, perhaps."

Karis blushed, laughing a bit. "Um, well..."

"It's okay," Sveta said, smiling. "I won't tell. Besides... I'm pretty sure he likes you, too."

Karis closed her mouth, still blushing.

They were up above the central fountain in Tolbi, a beautiful sparkly alley. As they continued walking along the road, there was suddenly a roar of laughter from nearby. Both Wind Adepts turned to look...

And found themselves face-to-face with Eoleo, Tyrell, and Amiti.

Sveta wrinkled her nose. "You three... smell like alcohol. You haven't been drinking, have you?"

Eoleo laughed raucously. "Hell yeah!"

Tyrell burst into a fit of giggles, and Amiti flushed, hiccupping.

"Not you, Amiti!" Karis chided.

Amiti flushed bright red, and looked down in embarassment. "Those... Those two talked me into it. I swear, though... I'm not... Not really drunk..."

He swaggered a bit, and Tyrell caught him. Tyrell giggled again. Both Karis and Sveta were understandably creeped out.

"Yes, yes you are," Karis sighed. Then she frowned at Eoleo. "How dare you! You never should've allowed this!"

Eoleo shook his head. "He's a man, Karis. It's not my responsibility. Besides... We had reason to celebrate." Eoleo held up a bulging sack of gold coins. Karis and Sveta stared at it in wide eyed shock.

"How...?" Sveta asked, shocked.

Eoleo gestured towards Amiti, who burst into a fit of laughter. Eoleo grinned. "Evidently, his royal highness is lucky as hell! We were losing bigtime when he found us. We left that tent big winners!"

Karis punched Eoleo. "Gambling!" She shouted. "I don't believe you! You... You blasted pirate! You're corrupting Amiti! No more!"

Karis took Amiti by the arm, and with help from Sveta managed to get the trio back to where they were staying. Eoleo and Tyrell collapsed into their beds and were instantly asleep. Sveta shook her head, heading on to her own room.

"Karis..." Amiti sighed as she helped him into his bed. He looked rather defeated. "I'm sorry. I don't know why I let them talk me into this... I guess the excitement just overwhelmed me. And... I'm really not that drunk."

Karis smiled, shaking her head. "It's okay. What Eoleo said is true enough, Amiti. You're nineteen, a man. You can take care of yourself."

Amiti nodded. Karis went to the door, and turned back to face him smiling. "Good night, Amiti. See you in the morning."

"G-good night, Karis," Amiti sighed. She shut the door with a soft click, and Amiti smiled to himself in his slightly drunken stupor. "I love you," he muttered.

Then he closed his eyes, and he was asleep.

On the other side of his door, Karis had frozen still, wondering if she had only imagined the words.

...

**Author: **Wow, this chapter wound up longer than I thought it'd be. Sorry if anything in it seems off, I wrote it while half-asleep. I re-read it myself before posting it, and I like it anyway. Anyway... On to a few notes.

Collosso. Awesome fight. Took me a long time to get right. Also, the dream sequence is a little cookie to those who actually know what I'm referencing: yet another reason Isaac might be so odd as he is. If you lose to anyone but the last opponent, you get to re-do Collosso... And Isaac wakes up, as though the loss was just a bad dream. Lol. Poor guy on my first playthrough. It was like Groundhog Day.

To point out something else, Matthew having a speaking role in this isn't totally odd. Isaac had a speaking role in TLA, and he spoke all the time after his appearance.

Seth leading the party to Lalivero is a call back to Felix's leading the party, obviously.

The gambling... Heh heh. I love Tolbi just for that.

Hope you guys like this chapter! I won't be posting another for a week. :( Sorry.

See you next time!

**Kaiora: **Um. Well... Not much, honestly. I loved all but the last ten minutes of it. I think I say something about it on my profile. I didn't like the way Zuko's mother wasn't found and it seemed kind of rushed at the end. And... I never was too fond of Kataang. (Ducks to avoid all the missiles I know just got fired at my head.) Like I said, though, I'm half-way okay with it. Sort of.**  
**

**Heckenschutze: **:) Glad it made you happy. That was my favorite part to write. About Amiti... I know. I'm sorry. The first part of this chapter (which was planned before you ever left your comment) hopefully explains that a bit. There's really no way to write that scene without making it appear that way, but it's really what he needed. After this chapter, things get back on track with him. Promise.**  
**

**Bad Habits: **Wow, it's like you read my mind. Lalivero's in this chaper. Hope you like it! (Btw, Lalivero's in northern Gondowan, so they'd get to it after all those other places. Even if the land did change. I hope. Atteka's apparently part of the same land-mass now.)**  
**

**Smasher. The-Keyblade-Bearer: **Lol. Maybe I'll add an explanation as a cookie? As for Eoleo, thanks. That was fun.**  
**

**Supaku: **:) Thanks. That chapter was fun to write! So was this one... I just hope it goes over well. It gets back to plot after this. Not that these weren't needed, really...**  
**

**FlameUser64: **You made me laugh with that comment. I can't really picture him, either, I just figured he would be. Makes him even less likable, lol.**  
**


	23. Where the Wind Blows

_Chapter Twenty-Three: Where the Wind Blows_

Matthew woke the next morning feeling rather rested. He grinned as he packed up his winnings. He couldn't wait to tell Isaac all about it. He knew his dad would be proud of him.

He walked out into the hallway and found the other guys—minus Eoleo, Tyrell, and Amiti—waiting. Seth nodded at him, and Matthew grinned. Eoleo joined them then, dragging a half-awake Tyrell behind him. "Sorry to make you wait, leader," Eoleo said. "We're ready to head off."

"Uggh..." Tyrell groaned.

Matthew raised an eyebrow, looking at Eoleo. Eoloe shrugged, then grinned. "Don't worry. Something he ate is probably disagreeing with him. He _did_ pig out yesterday."

"Wish I hadn't now..." Tyrell sighed.

The girls were next to join the group, all ready for the next stage of their adventure.

Seth shook his head. "Alright. That just leaves Amiti. Let's go see what's holding him up."

Karis and Sveta shared a glance, but said nothing. The party walked down to Amiti's room and waited a few moments. Then Takeru knocked on the door the Amiti's bedroom loudly. "Hey, Amiti! What's up? You're usually up at dawn! What's going on?"

Karis and Sveta winced, as did Eoleo and Tyrell. It took a few moments, but Amiti opened the door. He looked less awake than Tyrell, and he was still only wearing his pants—a sign he'd not even gotten ready for the day yet. Unlike him.

Amiti met Karis's gaze, looked down, and flushed a bright red. "Umm... I apologize. I didn't realize the time. I'll be ready in a moment." He shut the door.

Karis bit her lip and looked down, blushing. Maybe Amiti didn't realize he'd spoken aloud the night before. Heck, maybe he hadn't even really meant it. Karis still had to try hard not to show how she herself was feeling. She truly wasn't sure.

Amiti came out a few minutes later, dressed as usual and looking a bit more alert. He smiled at Matthew and the others. "Lead the way, Matthew. I'm set."

Matthew nodded, and the party left Tolbi as one.

…

The next several days, the party wandered northern Gondowan, heading ever northwest towards the Atteka reigion. The first day was the hardest for Amiti and Tyrell, but after a good night's rest they were both fine. Tyrell seemed to take the disapproving glares from Karis in stride, and Amiti envied him for it. He was probably used to such, since the two had been friends all their lives.

But the way Karis was acting towards him, Amiti just couldn't stand. It was almost like she was trying not to look at him, and he knew it was because she disapproved of the what he'd done. He didn't blame her, either. He'd acted a fool in Tolbi, and he intended to make up for it.

He just couldn't think of how to do so.

The night before they arrived in Contigo, Amiti saw his chance. Karis was standing by herself, apart from the group, looking across the plains to Jupiter's beacon. It was so close now, it's halo shining in the night sky. Amiti walked up behind her.

"Karis."

He spoke the word, no more than a whisper, and saw her tense up. She didn't make a move from her spot, not even to turn and face him. Amiti sighed, and took a few more steps to stand beside her, an arms-breadth away. Still, Karis didn't meet his eyes. Instead she kept them fixed on the purple light of the beacon.

"I'm sorry for what happened in Tolbi. I won't let it happen again. I promise you that."

Amiti desperately wanted to wrap his arms around her, clasp her warm hand in his, kiss her pretty little mouth once again...

But he could tell that now was not the time. He managed to stop his hand a hairs-breadth away from her fingers. He sighed silently, turning away and starting back to the camp.

"Amiti."

She said his name quietly but firmly, and Amiti stopped and stood perfectly still.

"It's okay. I know what happened there wasn't your fault. So quit worrying about it. I don't care about what you did there, Amiti. I care... I was more worried about you than anything. Are you feeling better now?"

Amiti turned around. He hadn't missed Karis's slip up. She'd been about to say something else. _I care..._ Amiti smiled at her.

"Yes, I am. See you tomorrow, I guess. Good night."

When he was almost—but not quite—out of earshot, Amiti swore he heard a whispering in the wind.

"I love you."

He turned back, but Karis was no longer there.

…

Contigo, city of winds and Wind Adepts, next to a giant crater where—rumor has it—the Anemos used their powers to move their civilization to the sky. Over the ages, the truth faded to legend... But in the seeking of the grain of truth that oft lies in the heart of a legend, the party had come to stand on this ground.

Well, that and a few other reasons.

"Auntie Hama! Are you home?" Karis called, striding into the old house.

There was a scuffling in the next room, and an older woman with wispy white-and-violet hair wandered into the room to give Karis a big hug. "Well, what do you know! If it isn't my dear brother's dear daughter... How are you, child?"

"Good, Auntie. Dad's great, too. I wish I had better news to tell you, but I'm afraid most of it's bad..."

Hama's eyes took in the rest of the group, hardly hesitating, and she nodded. "I know, child. I've seen much of what could be already, much of what has been."

Since a few of the party members were very confused, Karis smiled and held out a hand towards Hama. "Hama's my aunt, Dad's elder sister. She's a Wind Adept, too, and one with a rare gift of prophecy. She also is the one who gave Ivan the ability to use Reveal, way back when."

"Reveal?" Seth asked. "Really? I just recently gained that ability myself..."

Hama stared at him. "Oh, yes. I know you, boy. I've foreseen your fate for some time, now. I knew of your role in this long before you were born. Pity, truly. About your father, I mean."

"Huh?" Seth asked. "What do you mean, you know my fate? What about my fate? And... What about Felix?"

"Dad mentioned that, I think," Karis said. "What you said about Felix."

Hama nodded. "Yes, you speak truly. I saw long ago how cruel fate would be for him, and pitied him even then. But... He may yet find that there is kindness in the most unexpected places. I say the same to all of you. As for you, Seth... It is not good to know your own fate. But I will tell you this... It is not so cruel. Stand strong, trust in yourself and your loved ones. They will prove true."

Eos didn't miss that Hama's gaze fell on her for a moment when she spoke. Seth didn't miss it, either. He nodded at Hama. "Thanks, I guess. I'll keep that in mind."

Hama nodded, and looked at the others. "You're an even more motley group than your parents were, if I may say so." Her eyes fell on Amiti and she smirked a little. "Though... I suppose that's only partly true. If all of your parents had been together, they would've been an odd group indeed."

Amiti stepped forward. "Madam, if I may ask..."

Hama shook her head. "I don't know what to tell you. Seems to me that you've sorted things out fairly well on your own. I say to you the same as I said to Seth. Trust in yourself. The truth is within."

"That's just what the stone said to me when I earned Reveal. Something like that, anyway..." Seth said.

"I don't doubt it," Hama agreed. "You have among you those with gifts you have yet to realize."

Amiti frowned. "Yes, but..."

Hama clasped his shoulder, which caught him off guard. He heard her voice—not aloud, but within his mind.

_Listen to me, Amiti, son of Alex and Veriti. I have seen into your mind and your heart, your past and your future... And I know. Trust me, and trust your friends. Keep no secrets from them longer than you have to. You have the light within you. Find it, and find the way to save those you care about._

She let go, and he blinked in astonishment. Hama smiled, and spoke aloud. "Amiti, King of Ayuthay... I like you quite a lot. You seem to me a fine young man—so do not doubt yourself. You are as fine a warrior as any of the others. Now," Hama walked into the other room again, and the party followed her. There was a teapot on the stove, water boiling. Hama smiled. "Tea, anyone?"

…

After a relaxing afternoon tea, the group headed over to the ruins east of town. Anemos Sanctum was still just the same as it had been before the Golden Sun, and even when the party delved deep into the chambers of the Sanctum, they found nothing but old, rusted chests that had been opened long ago. There were no treasures to be found, no information hidden in the ancient paintings and glyphs. Nothing.

It was depressing. The town of Garoh had had no information, despite ties to the moon. Now here, their best chance at finding something... They'd really been hoping for better. But it seemed like their efforts were not to pay off.

Eos and Seth shared a glance. Eos walked over to Matthew and put a hand on his shoulder. "We can always try Prox. The lands to the north of our town are said to be dark and dangerous. We could look into it, couldn't we?"

Matthew looked down, sighing in his disappointment and uncertainty.

Seth squatted down in front of his cousin, and Matthew met his eyes evenly. Seth's face was serious. "Felix almost always disappears in that direction—I really think it's worth looking into."

Matthew nodded, and Seth helped him stand up from having been kneeling on his knees. Matthew turned to the rest of the party and smiled half-heartedly. "Okay, guys. Let's go."

The rest nodded, and left the inner sanctum. Rief was frowning, though. "Man, I wish we could've found _something_, though... We don't know any more than we did when we came here."

"I can fix that."

The party started as one, and turned back to look at the ruins.

Standing atop the ancient temple's roof was Felix. Seth stepped forward, ache written in his violet eyes. Felix raised a hand, greed cloak billowing in the wind along with his dark ponytail. The wind brushed by Seth, and the two men almost appeared as reflections of each other. Almost, but not quite.

Seth's face was crossed by sudden anger, and he shouted up at the man. "Well? What do you mean?"

"Isaac's boy says he wants to learn something, does he not?"

"His name's Matthew, you know..." Seth complained. "And he's Jenna's son, too. Your nephew."

Felix crossed his arms. "Very well. _Matthew_ wants to gain something from the trip here. I can see it in his eyes. Alright, I say. I'll give you what you want. I'll tell all of you something you don't know, something about the Mourning Moon. About... About what Hama said of me. About Sheba, about our fate that day."

The air was perfectly silent. Finally, Seth bowed his head, sandy blonde bangs falling over his face. "Aw, come on... Dammit, _Dad_, at least take off your mask first," Seth looked up, determined. "Speak to us eye to eye."

Felix sighed audibly before leaping down off the rooftop and landing lithely in front of the party. He was face-to-face with Seth. "Very well,son. As you say."

With that, Felix reached up and pulled off the mask, meeting Seth's eyes with his own. Seth's gaze was unwavering, though it hurt him to see the emotions he saw in his father's eyes. Felix was in pain. He could see that.

Felix's eyes were those of a man haunted... And the party knew that his story was not going to be a happy one. It was one they almost didn't even want to hear.

Then Felix opened his mouth and began to speak.

…

**Author:** Alright. There you go. Another cliffhanger. Next chapter's mostly flashback. As for other things... There are some important hints in this chapter towards many things. Pay attention to Hama.

Also... I can just feel the awkward between Amiti and Karis. That's always fun to write. And yeah, Amiti sleeps shirtless. Strikes me that it wouldn't be odd for an Ayuthay. Contrary to a few fics I've read, I'm pretty sure he'd still be pretty comfortable in public that way, too, if it weren't for the majority of the world considering it odd.

Hope you guys like this chapter, and the next. Some important reveals coming up! (The exact relationship of Seth, Eos, and Felix, for example.)

See you next chapter!

**Heckenschutze: **Ha ha. Yeah, I know. That's why I said he gets back to his usual self starting this chapter. Well... Once he's over that nasty hangover. I feel bad for having to use a translator to read the German, since my dad's actually fluent. (I dabble in a little Japanese, myself, because I want to go to Japan someday. Important for me as an aspiring comics artist. Ah well.)...But yeah. Sorry about the wait. Gomen nasai. I will try to update more often.**  
**

**Supaku: **I did write about the next morning, and there is a lot of awkward. Lol. Cool that you knew it was a dream. I guess I was really hamming it up. There's plenty of Seth next chapter, so hope you like that! (Baby Seth included. Aww.)

**Kaiora:** *Sigh* That's a relief. And... You're right. Re-watching it, no matter how hard I try I can't deny that Kataang isn't obvious. In my own stories, though, I like to play with pairings a bit more. Expect the unexpected. I have some really cool ideas of my own I really want to get out there. Someday... :) I'm working on it.

**GraysonPaladin: **It's okay. I beat TLA first by a longshot, having actually gotten it first... (Long story there. Lol.) Imagine how stupid I felt chasing Felix and the Proxians around as Isaac already knowing their quest was pointless, because they had to light them to save the world. As for Sheba... Well, you'll see soon enough.**  
**


	24. A Fate Wished On No Man

_Chapter Twenty-Four: A Fate Wished On No Man_

Twenty years ago...

Felix and Sheba were on their way to Kalay from Lalivero, where Seth had just been born not three months before. Both new parents were absolutely proud, and Felix especially couldn't wait to show off his son to Jenna and their parents—he was sure they'd be excited to meet their first grandchild.

Naturally, they planned to take their time on the way. Felix didn't want to push Sheba to hard, even though Sheba swore she was well enough despite having a new baby to deal with.

"Felix, please," Sheba laughed as Felix went out of his way to help her over a bridge.

Felix smiled with ease, shooting her his best innocent look. "What?"

Sheba shook her head, putting a foot down. Felix chuckled to see that—Sheba had been given everything she wanted as a child, and her mannerisms still showed that she was used to having her way. Some men might have been put off by that, but it only helped endear her to Felix.

He didn't care how others saw her—as a holy child, a spoiled brat, whatever... She could never be anything but beautiful in his eyes.

Even if she was annoyed with him. "Felix, how many times do I have to tell you I can..."

"...handle it on your own," Felix finished for her, grinning and pulling her and the baby into his embrace. He shook his head, kissing her forehead, letting his hand rest beside little Seth.

He pulled away and looked into her eyes. "A thousand times, Sheba. And you can tell me a thousand times more. I once thought I could do everything by myself, too. But when we're together, why should we? I want to be there for you, forever."

Sheba shook her head, her smile one that said she knew there was no changing Felix's mind. They continued walking northwards towards the pass over the mountains.

Sheba was quiet for a long time, but that was normal for the two of them. Neither of them had ever been talkative, but they could often understand each other without needing to speak.

Finally, Sheba spoke up. "Felix, I'm glad you want to help me. It's just... You don't have to do _everything_ for me, okay? I can do plenty for myself. You of all people know that—you've been by my side all this time. I've fought beside you countless times. I'm not a baby."

Felix turned to face her with a lopsided grin. "Yeah, but Seth is."

Sheba shook her head, looking down at the sleeping infant in her arms. Felix's heart melted to see the look of undying devotion written in her eyes. Sheba looked up and met Felix's gaze, smiling. The look in her eyes hadn't changed one bit.

Sheba smiled. "True enough. We do need to protect him."

Felix walked over to her, and put a hand on her shoulder. The look in his eyes must have been one of adoration as well, because her smile broadened as she leaned against him. Felix leaned over and whispered in her ear. "You know, it _is_ getting late. I think we should stop for the night."

Sheba smirked. "Agreed."

…

The next morning, Felix crawled out of the tent and got a fire going while Sheba fed Seth. He had never been too good at cooking, but he could at least get breakfast started. Sheba joined him after a little while and gave him Seth to hold while she finished preparing their meal. Felix cradled the tiny boy gently in his arms, cooing at him softly. Seth was awake and alert now, but content. He smiled his little smile up at Felix, and Felix chuckled to himself.

Sheba sat down beside him, handing him a bowl and resting her head on his shoulder as they ate breakfast. Felix sighed happily.

Sure, the Warriors of Vale were a controversial group. Sure, he'd had to deal with a lot of trouble over the past ten years. Sure, he and the rest had caused chaos over the world in order to save it—and not just because the land was changing. Wars were breaking out all over the place.

None of that mattered, not when he was sitting like this, little Seth cradled in his arms and Sheba by his side.

This was heaven to him.

After they finished breakfast and broke camp, heading on up into the mountains, Sheba wrapped Seth up in the usual sling she used to carry him and they continued on their way.

As they started their ascent, Felix silently held out his hand. Sheba smiled as she took it, twining her fingers around his.

…

At lunch, Sheba had briefly set Seth down on the earth beside her while she organized their gear. Felix was looking around the area. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.

"Sheba... Is it just me, or is it really quiet all of a sudden?"

Sheba frowned, pouting a bit, then shrugged. "Yeah. I guess so. I think Seth needs changed, Felix. Why don't you do that while I see if any local animals know what's going on?"

Felix sighed. But it never crossed his mind to tell her no. Sheba's 'Mind Read' ability was quite useful for gaining information, since it could even be used on animals.

"Alright," Felix said. "Hurry back, even if you don't find anything."

He didn't want to repeat yesterday's argument. He knew she could handle herself—he just had to remember to trust her.

Felix was playing with Seth while he waited for Sheba to return, when suddenly he heard a terrifying scream and a loud, rushing sound. Rather like a waterfall, only much louder, more deafening.

Felix didn't even think. He just jumped to his feet and ran, hand on the hilt of his sword. He hadn't gone ten feet when Sheba ran around a bend in the pass towards him.

He would have asked her what she was running from, if it hadn't been plainly obvious. Not far behind her, the rock cliff itself was being eaten away by a giant black... something.

"What in _hell_ is that... that _thing?_" Felix shouted over the rushing roar. He couldn't even really hear his own voice.

"Felix!" Sheba cried, as a powerful gust pulled her toward it, even as the rock broke off around her feet. She stumbled as the side of the cliff suddenly became a lot closer. "Eek!" Sheba screamed, grasping at the side of the cliff desperately.

Felix's eyes widened, and his heart raced as he was reminded of the encounter at Venus Lighthouse. "No! Sheba!" He yelled, lunging at the cliffside, grabbing her hand with all his might.

It really was Venus all over again, with Sheba dangling off the side of the cliff and Felix's hold the only thing keeping her connected to this earth. The look in her eyes was exactly the same, and Felix found his eyes watering. "I won't let you die!" He screamed over the roar of the vortex.

But he could feel his grip failing. The vortex's pull was horridly intense—it was drawing them in. He bit his lip, drawing blood, but held his ground firmly despite the ache in his head and the strong urge to double over and throw up. He could feel his energy ebbing, like the dark sphere was draining his strength.

And then, a moment later, his grip broke. The last he saw of Sheba was her form falling away, towards the blackness. Felix fell to his knees, gritting his teeth. The roar had died just as suddenly as it had begun, and the silence left in it's wake was deafening. Felix's ears were still ringing.

He set his jaw and stood up, determined. He knew what he was going to do—oh, yes. In his mind, he was replaying Venus. He would jump after her, even if it were to his death. He hadn't been afraid then, this time was no different.

He braced himself, and...

As the ringing in his ears faded, Felix heard Seth crying in the distance.

Felix froze still for a terrible instant, then doubled over in agony, tears falling down his face. No. It couldn't be. He. Couldn't. Do. This.

Felix turned around and blindly made his way back to his infant son. He cradled Seth to his aching chest, watching as his tears fell on Seth's blanket. Silently, Felix rocked the baby as he glanced back towards the cliff where Sheba had been only a moment ago.

In the distance, he could've sworn he saw something flying, but when he blinked it was gone again.

Seth's cries quieted, and Felix held him near.

"Don't cry, little one," Felix muttered, still crying himself. "Don't cry. Please don't cry. I... I'll figure out something."

…

Getting through the pass was impossible, and travel to north Angara proved difficult as well. There was chaos everywhere, and Felix—though half-mad with grief—was not about to attempt anything tha could hurt little Seth.

Which led him to think of Prox. Sure, it was farther north than he'd like to go, but it was out of harm's way. Felix didn't know how far the destruction would spread at the time, and so Prox seemed the logical place to go.

Or it had _before_ he found himself stuck in the middle of a blizzard. Seth was safe and warm, tucked deep inside Felix's coat. Felix wished the same could be said of him. He was blinded by the snow, and frozen to the core by both the cold and the grief that would never leave him be.

He stumbled and caught himself, instinctively reaching to his chest to make sure Seth was okay. He shivered, crying without tears, and realized that this was one pathetic way to die.

"What in the... Felix? Felix, is that you?"  
Felix raised his head, but all he could see were shapes drawing closer through the snow before he passed out.

When he came to, he found himself warm and in a rather familiar bed. A huge fire was blazing in the fireplace. He sat up, and his eyes met Karst's. So. He'd made it to Prox after all.

"What happened?" Karst asked, worry in her expression. "When the warriors dragged you in you looked dead."

Felix opened his mouth, but no sound would come out. In a flash, he was seeing Sheba fall all over again. The image still haunted him. Karst saw the pain in his eyes, and she glanced away from him.

Felix finally bowed his head and asked, hoarsely, "Where's Seth?"

"Sleeping, in my room. He's fine." Karst took a deep breath, not knowing how to approach this subject lightly. "What... What happened to _her_. To Sheba? Your _wife_?"

Felix winced. The tone of her voice—though to her credit, she was _trying _to be kind. It wasn't Karst's fault that she never had been able to like Sheba. Felix truly did feel bad for her. He hadn't realized her feelings for him had been so strong.

"Karst..." Felix started, but his voice trailed off. He truly had no idea where to start.

"Karst, no need to trouble Felix. Just let him be for now."

Felix raised his head in surprise. He recognized the voice—it was the same one that had called out to him in the blizzard. Even then, it had been vaguely familiar...

A Proxian warrior came into the room and nodded at Felix. "Good to see you up, though... Though I can't say you look well." The look in the man's eyes was prodding.

Felix slumped down again. "She's gone," he said, the words like ice. "I couldn't... I couldn't leave Seth all alone. I can't do this, though. I can't go on."

"Eleon?" Karst asked, and Felix looked up in confusion. Her voice was soft, gentle... Like he'd seldom heard it sound before.

"Yes, Karst?"

"Go get Felix something to eat. He looks like he hasn't eaten properly in a while. And get him some fresh clothes to change into."

"Of course," He nodded. "Be back in a moment."

"And check on Seth while you're at it!" She shouted. "Bring him here, if you will."

Felix shot Karst a very confused look. He was hopelessly lost. Karst shook her head in desperation. "That's right... You haven't been to Prox in a while. Eleon is Puelle's son, remember? A warrior? He was standing outside when Mars was lit, in that crowd. You met him before. He's my husband now."

"That's right," Felix said, the memory coming back to him. He was too scattered to be shocked by Karst's revelation that she'd gotten married. "He was the first one to rush to you and Agatio when we drug you back half-dead from the lighthouse."

"Only I was half-dead," Karst corrected, voice sore. "Agatio was just dead."

"Right," Felix said. He wasn't really all there. Karst could see the dazed look in his eyes, and her heart ached for him. He hadn't looked so lost since Saturos and Menardi had first dragged him into town with Kyle and his parents.

Karst sighed. "I'm sorry, Felix. Truly, I am."

Eleon came back into the room holding Seth, and handed the baby to Felix. Felix just sat there, holding Seth, not really there at all. His arms cradled Seth without thought, without emotion.

Karst walked out of the room beside Eleon, both of them wearing looks of pity on their faces.

It was as though all the life had left Felix. He no longer had a will to live.

…

Felix stayed in Prox for a couple weeks, but his grief was grating on him. He could hardly bear to look at Seth—the boy looked so like his mother, he served as too harsh a reminder of what Felix had lost. One morning, he walked out the door, all his things packed, and stood out on the bluff outside the house his parents had lived in while they stayed here. It was Karst's house, once it had been Karst and Menardi's. So many were dead now. So many.

"And where do you think you're going?"

Felix turned around to face Karst without answering. Karst sighed, and walked up to him, grabbing his shoulder. "Sheba is dead. There's nothing to do about it. You can't just give up, though—What about Seth?"

Felix bowed his head, dark hair falling over his eyes. "If it weren't for Seth, I wouldn't be here now. He's..." Felix stuttered, choking up. "He's the only thing that kept me from going after her. But... I can't raise a child by myself. I can't. I have to find out what's going on. I have to know if the others are okay... Isaac, Garet... Jenna..."

Felix met her eyes, and the look in his gaze made Karst shiver. _So cold.. _She thought. Felix clenched his hands into fists. "Please, Karst. Take care of him. Let me go."

Karst sighed, and reluctantly let go of his arm.

As Felix vanished into the dawn, she gazed after him. "Take care of yourself, Felix. Please. Don't die."

…

After Felix returned to Kalay for a while, he became restless. He started wandering the world, never staying anywhere for very long. To earn money for his travel fare, he became a mercenary. Adepts, no longer a secret hidden from the world, were quite popular as warriors for hire.

He seldom gave out his name, and wondered even on the occasions when he did if anyone put two and two together and figured out that he was _the_ Felix—Felix, the Warrior of Vale, wayward son of Vale. The one who'd betrayed his own town in favor of his own beliefs.

It didn't matter. Days flowed together, all Felix knew anymore was the way of the warrior. Any quiet moments to himself tasted bitter. They left him room to think, and his thoughts always strayed to Sheba. He avoided any regions where his friends might be—he didn't want to see them, to remember.

But as time passed, Felix ached to see his son again.

And that is what brought him back to Prox once again, three years after he'd last been there. Years truly meant little to him—It had begun to dawn on him that his aging hadn't just slowed anymore, it had all out stopped. It was strange for him, to see the world changing around him while he was stuck the way he was. Frozen.

When Karst opened the door, Seth was behind her, peering up from by her knees. He was the first thing Felix saw, and Felix stared at him, hardly able to compare this toddler to the tiny baby he'd left behind. Then Felix's gaze turned back to Karst, and he saw that there was a baby in her arms, too. A little red-head, like her. Then Felix's eyes met hers, and what he saw there froze him in his tracks once more.

Her eyes were tormented, and somehow Felix knew it wasn't because of his sudden appearance at her door. He reached out and grabbed her shoulder, unconsciously. "What happened? What's wrong?"

"Strange things have been stirring to the north. A band of warriors were sent out a month ago to investigate, but they... They never came back. Eleon was one of them—as I would've been, but I was nine months pregnant at the time. I couldn't go. The elders still refuse to let me leave town."

Felix set his jaw and looked into her eyes. He couldn't bear to see her suffer any more. Felix, of all the people in the world, knew Karst had suffered enough in her life.

"I will bring him home to you," Felix promised.

Seth, at Karst's feet, blinked his violet eyes—so like Sheba's—and looked up at them. "Daddy come home soon?" He asked.

Felix choked, breath catching in his throat. Karst blinked back tears, patting Seth on the head silently. "Felix... I'm sorry..."

"No," Felix said, turning away. "Don't be. You have nothing to be sorry for."

With that, Felix trudged off into the snow to the north, praying to all the gods he knew and then some—praying that this promise would not be broken. Praying that there would be something left to find.

His wish was only halfway granted.

It took him three days, but he found what was left of the warriors from Prox—only three of them had even managed to make it back from wherever they'd gone, and all of them bore mortal wounds. Frighteningly enough, the wounds were fresh—the warriors hadn't been here long.

Felix checked first one, then another. No pulse. He didn't recognize them, and a fleeting thought crossed his mind—he wondered if he'd known them, if he'd ever spent time with them back when he lived in Prox those three years. He'd probably never know.

The third warrior was Eleon. At first glance, Felix thought he was dead, too. But then he felt a faint and faltering pulse, and realized that Eleon was still alive, if only just.

"Damn!" Felix swore, casting a 'Cure' as swiftly as he could. "Don't you dare die on me!"

Eleon stiffened as the Psynergy flowed through his body, then he went still. His pulse was still there, still weak. Felix couldn't waste more time. He flung Eleon over his shoulder and trudged through the snow back to Prox.

When the villagers saw him making his weary way towards them, they rushed to his aid. Eleon was brought to the inn, where Felix told the village elders of what he had found. A small band was sent to take care of the other two warriors and bring them home. Eleon was treated by the healers, but remained just as weak and unconscious no matter what any of the healers—or Felix—did to heal him.

Felix saw Karst a lot during those dark days. She came by to see Eleon shortly after Felix brought him back, but she never said anything. Not one word. She didn't have to. Felix could read her well enough—her actions, the way she stood, the look in her eyes. It hurt him, to see her suffering silently like that. She didn't deserve it—no more than he had deserved to lose Sheba.

Felix knew, deep down, there was nothing to be done for the man. His wounds were too bad, he'd been half-frozen. There was no great wave of Psynergy to save him as Karst had been saved. No. He was going to die.

Late one night, little more than two weeks after Felix had found him, Eleon cried out suddenly. Felix started, jolted by the unexpected sound. He put a hand to Eleon's forehead, and found him feverish. Not a good sign. Felix's brow wrinkled, and he pulled his hand away.

Eleon caught Felix's wrist, and Felix's eyes widened in astonishment as Eleon's eyes opened. Eleon took a moment to recognize Felix, but then a weak smile crossed his face. "Felix..." he muttered.

"I'll go get—" Felix started.

"No," Eleon sighed. "Don't bother. I know I'm dying, Felix. Better to die quietly than cause a scene. You're here, that's good enough for me."

Felix frowned. "What about Karst?"

Eleon's eyes darkened with deep sorrow. "Karst. I'm so sorry. No—she does not need to see me die. She does not need to suffer any longer."

Felix took Eleon's hand in his, kneeling beside the bed. "What about your daughter?"

Eleon smiled sadly. "So, the baby was a girl?"

Felix nodded. "She takes after her mother."

Eleon shook his head. "I wish I could've met her. But it can't be helped. Felix—" Eleon sat up, a fierce look in his eyes. "Whatever you do, do not go to the north. It is death to walk into that darkness."

"Why?" Felix asked. "What's out there?"

Eleon shook his head, and Felix could feel his grip weakening. _I won't let you die!_ Felix stiffened, clasping Eleon's had fiercely. This couldn't be happening again. Eleon closed his eyes, muttering. "Please, Felix... take care of them."

Felix felt his grip go slack, and he bowed his head, clenching his jaw as he let go of Eleon's hand.

Why?

Why was fate so cruel?

Not only had it taken Sheba from him, forced him to wander aimlessly in order to avoid meeting those people who reminded him of the happiness he'd held so briefly... Now it had taken from him someone he'd wanted to save for someone else, someone who deserved to be happy after all the pain she'd gone through.

And Eleon had left him to bring her the bad news. Wonderful.

Felix told the healers of Eleon's death quietly, but when they offered to send someone with him to tell Karst, he declined. This task was for him and him alone.

When Karst opened her door and saw Felix standing there, no words were needed. The look on his face must've told her what he'd come to say. Before his very eyes, he saw all hope fade from her face and cold sorrow replace it.

_Cold, so cold. I had forgotten..._

Karst's eyes looked so tired, so dead. There was no life in her anymore, no will to go on. Did his eyes look like that, too? Felix wondered.

"Karst..." Felix said, but his voice broke. He couldn't speak.

For the first time, Felix saw water well up in the Fire Adept's eyes. Even when learning of Agatio's death, she'd not shown tears. It was not the way of the warriors of Prox. They, like the fire they wielded, were quick to passion and anger. The smallest spark could light their flame. Sorrow and tears were the death of fire.

_Why am I so cold?_

Before Felix knew what he was doing, he was holding Karst against him, tight in his embrace. He could feel the sobs wrenching through her body, could feel her tears wetting the fabric on his shoulder. Until that day, Felix hadn't even been sure the Proxians could shed tears.

_Aren't we of the Fire Clan supposed to be immune to it?_

He couldn't stand it. It wasn't fair. Why did fate have to be so cruel? Did they not deserve what little happiness they had found after lighting the Golden Sun? What had they done to deserve such sorrow?

_I can feel it now... the long, dark sleep creeping into my soul._

Finally, after what felt like ages, Karst's sobs quieted and she went still. Terribly still. Felix could still feel her heart beating, but her body was limp and lifeless all the same. He gathered her in his arms and carried her to her bed.

He could feel his heart breaking all over again.

As Felix stood to leave, Karst's hand held tight to his cloak. He turned to face her, looked into her sad, pleading eyes.

Karst sat up and took hold of his hand.

_Your hands... so warm. People have such warm hands... I had forgotten._

"Please, Felix. Don't go. Don't leave me all alone."

Felix knew Karst had always loved him, but he'd never felt the same in return. It was Sheba that he'd fallen for—Sheba who would always be his true love. Karst had understood that. She'd moved on, she'd married Eleon. She'd had a child by him. She'd had some small happiness.

And fate had taken even that from her.

Felix shook his head, aching with grief. He felt sorry for her, he felt sorry for himself.

He held Karst in his arms that night, but it was not Karst he truly wanted, nor Karst he truly missed.

…

Eventually, Felix went his own way again. He'd always been a loner—only Sheba had been able to change that for a time. Karst had the children to look after in Prox. Her grief was no longer quite so fierce as it had been that first night after Eleon's death. The fire had returned to her, if somewhat weak at first. Felix knew Karst well enough to know that she'd be herself again soon.

She, too, had given him a reason to go on. He'd promised to visit Seth in Prox, to tell Seth the truth when he was old enough. Felix had missed Seth terribly in the years he'd been alone.

Felix truly wished he could be there for his son, but it simply wasn't possible.

He had something to look into. Something to the north.

He'd wanted to heed Eleon's warning, but as Felix read old manuscripts and sought some clue as to what exactly was causing the terrible vortexes, he found more and more connections leading to the same thing.

In the past, there had been many people with great technologies. Lemuria was but one of them. The Anemos were another. Felix found, too, records of a third—the Tuaperang.

Somehow, Felix knew there was more to this puzzle than he could see. The lighthouses, the Golden Sun... The Mourning Moon.

He could only hope that as a Warrior of Vale, he'd be strong enough to withstand the darkness that had killed Eleon and the others from Prox.

Thus, Felix stumbled through the deathly darkness that covered the lands growing to the north of Prox and found his way blindly to the lands of the Tuaperang. He tried to glean information from them, but they refused to tell him anything. Felix knew there was something hidden there, he could feel it.

Chalis, Blados... Diamond, Clovos. They annoyed him something terrible with their cryptic statements. They refused to grant him entry unless he promised to do as they asked. Naturally he refused them every time.

He continued life as a mercenary, visiting Prox every now and then. He kept his promise to Karst, and told Seth about true parents when the boy was seven. Later, when Seth was twelve, Felix told him he ought to go out and see other parts of the world, especially Lalivero and Contigo.

As much as Felix wished he could force Seth to live in safety, he couldn't. He had to let him live his own life.

More and more, Felix found himself drawn into the darkness to the north. Finally, he began to gain at least a little from the Tuaperang. They whispered of a new elite among them, a man called Arcanus.

In the pit of his stomach, Felix knew immediately exactly who this "Arcanus" really was.

It took him until after the Eclipse to find out for sure. That was when Felix had finally given up, and had agreed to join the Tuaperang no matter what the cost.

He couldn't let anyone else suffer, couldn't allow any more people to die.

…

"I know Alex has some underhanded plot of his own," Felix told the party. "But for now, our goal is the same. We must end the Mourning Moon, which was caused by the fallout from the Golden Sun. If it eases the suffering and dangers wrought by that event... Then working with Alex is a small price to pay."

"The only way to reach Artemis Sanctum is with the Tuaperang's technology, correct?" Rief asked.

Felix nodded. "Yes. Yet... It would appear that Alex is still in need of something more. He's been searching for the Anemos, and cannot find them."

Seth had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. "Us. Is that it? They expect us to be able to find the lost civilization."

Amiti blinked in shock. "A group of adepts who shall restore an ancient civilization... So it would seem to fit what we've heard before. Alex knew of us all along."

Karis and Rief frowned. "That's right," Rief said. "He knew of the prophecy, he must've guessed the Adepts in question would be the children of the Adepts he once knew."

"Yes..." Amiti nodded. "Also, the Tuaperang seemed pretty interested in my 'Insight' ability."

"That's right," Tyrell said. "They kidnapped you before! You never did explain how you broke out of their confinement, Amiti!"

Amiti turned blue in the face, frowning. "Ah... Well..."

Felix stared at Amiti in confusion. Slowly, the confusion gave way to shock. "By the gods..." Felix muttered, eyes wide in disbelief. "...It can't be!"

The entire party, minus Amiti, Karis, and Rief turned to Felix in absolute confusion. The remaining three all went slightly blue.

Felix shook his head. "You—You're... You look just like him. I can't believe it. I can't believe he actually..."

Amiti stepped forward, anger flashing in his eyes. "Enough. I am King Amiti of Ayuthay. I will not sit quietly and let Alex have his way. I am not on his side, you hear me? Tell him that. By the gods, tell him that. Tell him the next time we meet, I will stand beside my friends without hesitation. I refuse to help him. I want to save the world, not further his plans to empower himself."

"King of Ayuthay, huh?" Felix said, shaking his head. "I think that renders the rest of your argument void."

Felix glanced to the sky, and shook his head, looking at the party—especially Seth—with sorrow. "Time for me to get going. Good luck, all of you. I'm sorry I can't help you any more than that." As the airship flew by overhead, and Felix took hold of the rope dangling below it, Seth gazed up at him. Felix smiled down at him sadly. "Find them, Seth. Find the Anemos—your mother's people, her family. I'm sure they miss her as much as I do."

Seth wavered for a moment, then stood strong. "I know, Dad. That's what I've been searching for my whole life, that's what's been drawing me to the sky. The Anemos... The Anemos, and Mom."

He reached out, and clasped Felix's hand tightly in his own for one brief moment.

_She can't really be dead._

Seth blinked, unsure if this was his thought, or Felix's. He'd never had much of a gift of reading thoughts—he'd said as much before—but sometimes it was hard to be sure.

Then, the airship flew away, and Seth's grip broke.

_Don't you dare fall._

Seth didn't even have to read minds to know Felix was thinking that. Seth only hoped Felix would heed his own advice, and remain just.

Even if fate was cruel, that didn't mean Felix had to be.

…

**Author: **This chapter became longer than I thought it'd be. That seems to happen a lot of late. Oh well. Hope it lives up to expectations.

So, finally the truth comes out: Felix is not Eos's father. She and Seth are foster-siblings, not blood related. Truly, though, I was torn between these two possibilities even when I began writing this story. However, ultimately this scenario was my choice. I will further clarify that in a few more chapters.

Beyond that... I really have very little to say. If you don't like the Duskshipping in this chapter, I'm sorry. I'm not so much of a Duskshipper myself, but I find it quite tragic. Heck, Lighthouseshipping seems kind of tragic in this, too.

I wanted to have the happy Lighthouseshipping scene at the start of this because it was so depressing, but I think including it only made the contrast more stark. Oh well.

Anyways, enjoy. I'll get the next chapter out as soon as I can.

**Heckenschutze: **Ha ha. Sorry if that came out cheesy. I happen to like stories with that kind of thing... Though I realize they're all over the place. Ah well. As for Hama... Her prophetic side was mentioned, I believe, but they didn't do much with it in-game.**  
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**Smasher. The-Keyblade-Bearer: **Well, hope you liked this chapter. And I totally agree with the Roc feather thing. But they did the same kind of thing with the Shaman's Rod in the other two. That thing was pretty much useless. Revelations will happen eventually, lol. Just... Not yet.**  
**

**Kaiora: **Thanks. I agree that OC's are something to be wary of. Too many are just fan-service or author-service or whatever you want to call it. But sometimes they're genuinely great characters. Like in Velf's Courage of the Spirit. You just got to develop them and make them believable within the canon of the story. If I succeeded, then I'm glad. Thanks.**  
**

**Supaku: **Hmm... I don't think it was the dialogue between them so much as Karis looking at him up and down right before he joins the party and commenting on how he's "under-dressed" and ought to do something about his outfit. If I recall, he blushes and agrees. Take that how you will. Also, they seem to get defensive of each other a few times. In Golden Sun, apparently that's good enough to build a ship on. I mean, that's pretty much what I based my Hotspringshipping on: Piers defending Jenna on Mars Lighthouse after the Doom Dragon battle by telling the Wise One off. Anyway, hope you feel better soon.**  
**


	25. Who He Takes After

_Chapter Twenty-Five: Who He Takes After_

Felix stormed into Alex's chambers upon his return to the main zeppelin. Alex appeared quite shocked by Felix's sudden appearance, though he did well to cover it up. As usual.

"What happened to your mask, Felix?" Alex asked coolly.

Felix narrowed his eyes, crossing his arms. "What happened with you, Alex?"

Alex raised an eyebrow. "Felix, I've told you before. You have to be specific. How am I possibly to know what you are—"

"Alex," Felix said, cutting Alex off mid-sentence. "Please. Don't act as though you're clueless as to what I have learned. There's no mistake—That boy, Amiti... He's your son, isn't he? Care to explain how that happened?"

Had Felix needed any confirmation, it was written all over Alex's momentarily stunned face. Oh, yes. It was true.

Alex bowed his head slightly, turning away from Felix. "Alright," he said at last. "You're right, Felix. Amiti is my son. I confess. I allowed myself weakness some twenty years ago, in the kingdom of Ayuthay. I got their princess with child. Is that so very strange? Can a man not have a moment of weakness? No matter how heartless you Warriors want me to be, I'm still human."

Felix frowned, noticing a change in Alex's tone. He sounded almost nostalgic, wistful... What that tone meant, Felix couldn't be sure. Did Alex regret having fathered Amiti? Did he regret that he'd been weak, that he was still a mere human? ...Or did his tone suggest something else entirely, that he might actually regret what he had become?

Felix shook his head, not wishing to follow that train of thought. He crossed his arms. "Look at me, Alex. Tell me the truth. What happened? Why?"

Alex turned to face Felix, a sad half-smile on his face. "The truth. Ha. You really don't believe me, do you? I don't suppose you should. Well, Felix, I'm sorry. That was the truth just now. Now, if you'll please excuse me, I am quite a busy man. Go on, mind your own business."

With that, Alex pushed Felix out the door and shut it with a click. Felix shook his head, and wandered down the hall. It seemed no answers would ever be gained from Alex, only more questions.

As he turned the corner down the hall, Felix came face-to-face with Clovos. Felix narrowed his eyes. "Clovos, what is it?"

Clovos crossed his arms. "I find it curious that you keep having secret discussions with _him_. It's obvious that you two know each other, even if things aren't exactly friendly between you."

"Care to explain what your conversations have been about, _Felix?_" Felix tensed up as a blade appeared beside his neck from behind him. He glanced over his shoulder at Diamond, his eyes wide in shock and confusion.

Diamond's smile was one of sadistic confidence. A knowing smile. It creeped Felix out like hell. Diamond tightened her grip on the dagger, and Felix felt sweat trickling down his cheek as the point hovered just a hair away from his neck. One flick of her wrist, and he'd bleed to death.

"That's right," Diamond whispered. "I know your name, _Felix._ I know a lot about you. About everything. You'd be surprised. You'd be reckless to forget how little power you have among the Tuaperang, despite your ties with _him._ He has less power than he thinks he does, even if he is pretty high ranking." Diamond pulled the dagger away and shoved Felix ahead. "Now go, Fool. Heed this warning—there is no escape for any of you now. Whether you betray us or not, the result will be the same—a long, hard descent into the darkness. How hard that descent is... Well, we leave that up to you."

Clovos grinned evilly. "The higher you think you are, the farther your fall will be. The brighter your light... The harsher the darkness will seem."

Felix refused to look at them. His shoulders slumped in defeat as he walked away from them. _I've already fallen, _he thought. _What's ahead can't be worse than what's behind. The light of my life is __already gone... And the height of a fall is not what matters, Clovos. It's how you land._

…

Meanwhile, in his room, Alex walked over to his window and stared out over Weyard as dusk fell. From above, borders and kingdoms were as nothing, and Alex could imagine quite easily that all the lands were one—one land, beneath him. He remembered, though, that it hadn't always seemed so.

Alex sighed, a sigh heavy with memory.

_Why? _Felix had asked. Why indeed? A small smile played on Alex's lips as he wondered. Veriti had been very beautiful, so pure and sweet, so kind. Something about her had caught his eye. She'd not been an Adept, but she'd had some kind of power, certainly...

The power of her heart had been strong indeed, the power of her love. Alex stared down at his hands, remembering how it had felt to hold her close to him, how warm she had felt when wrapped tight in his arms. Oh, yes. She'd had a strong power indeed, to melt the ice he'd spent years perfecting, to see through the mask he always wore. He still didn't understand how, why...

Alex clenched his hand into a fist, face sad and serene.

_Veriti..._ He thought, eyes distant and sad. _You know the truth, don't you? You knew it, though you barely knew me. You understood._

Alex looked to the horizon, the hint of a smile tugging at his lips. "I still don't know everything."

_Who do you take after, Amiti?_ Alex wondered. _All I saw when I looked at you before was the boy I used to be... All Felix saw, too, was me. But Felix never knew her, Amiti. He never knew Veriti... And come to think of it, you certainly inherited her strange power, the power of her heart._

_Use it well, son. Please. Use it well._

Alex sighed, pulling his cloak tight about him. There was bound to be a conflict soon... He wasn't looking forward to it.

_I promised you I wouldn't hold back, Amiti. And I do not plan to. I think you might just be stubborn enough to stand by your beliefs... So you'd better be strong enough to support yourself._

Alex wasn't about to lose now, when he was so close to his goals that he could taste victory. No one could stop him—not the Tuaperang, not the Warriors, not Amiti and his friends...

Certainly not the memories hovering in the back of his mind, reminding him of all that had been, all that could've gone differently.

Alex knew he was in for a hard time, and he didn't relish the thought.

…

"What is up with Felix, anyway?" Tyrell complained, sitting on the stairs in front of Anemos Sanctum. "The man shows up, tells us his story, and runs off again. No wonder Isaac and the others took so long to join forces with him and his party!"

Seth shook his head. "I can't believe the suffering he's gone through. I've felt bitter about him in the past, but I feel bad about that now. It's not his fault he's the way he is."

Amiti leaned up against a ruined wall, thoughts turning once again to Alex. Could it be that something in his past had made him the way he was? Amiti could not help but wonder, though his thoughts ran in circles for lacking the truth of the matter.

Takeru noticed Amiti standing by himself, and a question shone in the Earth Adept's eyes. "Amiti," he said, and the rest of the group went silent. "Felix seemed to notice something regarding you. You cut him off rather bluntly, if I may say so. You don't usually speak in such a manner as you did then."

Amiti looked down. _Trust them,_ Hama had said, _keep no secrets longer than you have to._

Amiti glanced up, and saw the support written on the faces of Karis and Rief. If no one else stood up for him, they would. Finally, Amiti nodded at Takeru. "Yeah, I guess he did."

Amiti was at a loss for how to begin this, and his eyes fell on Seth, who was still rather downcast. Amiti smiled, and walked over to his friend, sitting down beside him and gazing up at the sky. _Are you up there, Alex, looking down at me? I refuse to let you hold me back any longer, refuse to let you bother me. _"You know, Seth, I don't remember my mother, either. All I know of her, I know from stories others have told me... And recently, I came to know that only a few of those were even true."

Seth looked up in confusion, but Amiti held his gaze upwards, not meeting anyone's eyes. He had to do this, had to keep speaking. "They said she was a brilliant Adept, that she fixed the Alchemy Well with her powers, fetched the Luna Mask from deep in the bottom of the catacombs under Ayuthay... That she conceived me of her own powers, and died shortly after having me. I never truly knew her. And most of that story was a lie. Mother was no Adept, not at all. She didn't fix the well at all—that was done by the true Adept that saved Ayuthay from the brink of destruction... The true Adept behind everything... My father."

Amiti looked down at his feet, hesitating one last time before speaking the words he'd so dreaded saying since discovering the truth. "You know, my father truly is the Adept behind everything, more than my Uncle even could've guessed. I only found out his identity when he and the Tuaperang captured me in that pass... And truly, he is the reason I even managed to escape with Takeru and Eos."

It was quiet for an endless moment, and Amiti didn't even dare to look up.

Finally, it was Matthew who spoke up. "Alex," he said. "Your father is Alex."

Amiti nodded, looking into the faces of each of his friends. Karis and Rief seemed relieved to finally have the truth out there. The others varied only slightly in their expressions—Most of them looked only as though his words confirmed a simple fact, and it seemed all his self-torment had been for naught. Matthew, Seth, and even Tyrell—children of the Warriors though they were—had acceptance written on their faces.

It was Nowell alone whose face bore shock and anger. "I don't believe it!" She gasped. "You've known for so long, yet only tell us now?"

Rief frowned at his sister. "Nowell, please... It's not like he can help his parentage!"

Nowell turned red with anger, frowning at Rief. "You knew, didn't you? You don't even appear shocked! How could you possibly stick up for the son of... the son of that rotten traitor!"

Amiti really wished he could just disappear at that moment. Then, out of the blue, Tyrell shook his head and put a hand on Nowell's shoulder. "Whoa, calm down. Rief's right—this doesn't change anything. We all know Amiti's just and proper—knowing that Alex is his father doesn't change who Amiti is, not really."

Nowell blinked in surprise, looked at Tyrell, and promptly blushed furiously. Tyrell glanced at his hand, and pulled it back. Nowell glanced at Amiti again, her blue-green eyes burning fiercely with anger. Amiti shuddered—he'd never seen eyes the color of the sea burn so hot.

It hurt him pretty deeply that his own cousin could bear such strong hatred for his father that her grudge extended to him.

Kraden sighed, and shook his head. "Come on, children. We should head back to Contigo. We have a long journey ahead of us, if we're going to Prox and beyond."

Nowell turned away and refused to look at him as they started back towards Contigo.

On the way back, Rief ran to meet up with Amiti's longer stride. Tyrell, too, went over to the young king of Ayuthay. Amiti glanced at them, smiling a bit. It was good to know he had support.

Rief sighed, pushing his glasses up his nose. His smiled was a knowing one. "Amiti, don't let Nowell get you down, okay? She's pretty bad about grudges, but she'll get over it eventually. Don't think too hard about it. Just keep being the great, noble guy you are and she'll warm up to you."

Tyrell nodded. "Exactly. She can't stay mad at someone who's as honorable as you—heck, that's half of the reason it's so fun to mess with you. You take it the way you do because you're so noble. Nowell seems pretty fickle to me, so she shouldn't be too hard to impress."

Tyrell started laughing, but was cut off short by a 'Douse' aimed at his flaming red head. Rief and Amiti glanced over to see Nowell absolutely fuming. Rief turned slightly blue at the sight, pushing his glasses up again and trying to look insignificant. He smiled at Amiti nervously. "Heh... I'm surprised Nowell isn't _steaming_ right about now. Did you see the look in her eyes?"

Amiti nodded. "Tyrell really should know better. It's not hard to overhear his loud mouth."

Kraden chuckled a bit, nodding. "Ah, yes. Garet was the same way in his youth. You wouldn't believe how many times _his_ loud mouth got him in trouble."

"I'd believe it!" Rief laughed. "Mom's told us a lot of stories about him."

Kraden smiled at the boy. "Oh ho ho! You know, I probably shouldn't mention this, but a long time ago Garet and Mia actually had feelings for each other."

The looks on Amiti's and Rief's faces were absolutely stunned, and even Tyrell and Nowell turned to face Kraden. Tyrell's expression was quite amusing, considering that his hair was still dripping wet and hanging in his face, adding to the creeped out look in his eyes. He shook his head, shuddering a little. "Please tell me you're joking, Kraden."

Kraden shook his head. "No. I'm not. But that's long over now—they got into some sort of argument, and never got over it. They never did explain what exactly happened, and I'm not about to ask."

Tyrell, Rief, and Nowell shared a glance for a moment, then all turned blue at the thought. Rief shuddered a bit. "Gee, thanks for that bit of history, Kraden."

Tyrell shook his head. "I can't see it. I'm sorry. I just can't."

Nowell nodded. "Yeah. Too weird."

Seth shook his head. "Can you guys please get over it? There have been weirder relationships. Like... I dunno... Nowell was probably too head-over-heels to realize it, but Piers was probably pretty creeped out by the thought of being with her."

Nowell frowned, crossing her arms. By the tears welling up in her eyes, it was obvious that she still wasn't over that. "It's not like there's anyone close to his age that he's about to fall for—if so, he'd have married some Lemurian girl a long time ago!"

Seth shook his head, his expression slightly annoyed. "No—it's not the age, Nowell. Not really. He was friends with you mom, for crying out loud. You don't have a relationship with a friend's kid. It's too weird."

"How dare you!" Nowell fumed, her face flushed with anger. The rest of the party flinched.

"Not a good move, Seth..." Rief sighed. "Not now, when she's still mad about everything else..."

Seth shrugged. "Hey, I'm just pointing out a fact. You gotta admit, that's a weird relationship, Nowell."

Nowell clenched her hands into fists. "Oh, yeah? How about _you, _Seth? Your relationship with Eos seems pretty complicated... Can't get much weirder than that. I mean, you guys are practically siblings, for crying out loud!"

Seth tensed up, and Eos growled in sudden anger. Seth shook his head. "Oh, come on... We've known each other all our lives. Of course we feel something for each other. It doesn't have to be like that."

Eos nodded. "Well said, brother."

…

Upon returning to Contigo, while everyone else decided to wind down and call it a day, Tyrell and Eoleo decided to head out and try their luck once again in Contigo's gambling tents before they left the next day.

"Ya know, Tyrell..." Eoleo chuckled as they stood outside the tents, "It works well for us, either way. Even if you have a losing streak again we can be gone before they catch us."

"Oh, no you don't!"

Both Mars Adepts turned around to face a rather displeased Amiti. Everything about him said "You are not doing this again!" He stood at his full height, arms crossed, shaking his head.

Eoleo and Tyrell shared a glance before turning back to the Water Adept with pleading grins. "Aw, come on your highness—you could help us again, earn us more gold!" Eoleo offered.

Amiti shook his head. "No. Not this time. You are not going into those tents. Not on my watch."

Tyrell was just about to add in his piece when the flap of the tent opened and Seth walked out, a curious look on his face. "Hey, guys. What's up?"

"The sky," Eoleo said, raising an eyebrow.

Amiti turned blue in the face. "Please... Not you too, Seth."

Seth grinned, slinging a huge, bulging sack over his shoulder. "I don't have a clue what you mean, Amiti. Good night!"

With that, the son of Felix and Sheba went off towards the inn whistling a merry little tune. Amiti was so busy staring after him in shock he didn't see Eoleo and Tyrell slip inside the tent behind him. Finally, he turned around and sighed. "Idiots..." He muttered, following them in. He just hoped no one was watching—he wasn't about to ruin his reputation again, not with Nowell already mad at him.

However, his concern was for naught.

"Whaddya mean, you're sold out?" Tyrell asked, shocked.

"Precisely what I said," one of the the managers said. "The guy that came in before you won out all our gold for today. Sorry."

The other manager laughed. "You know, it's really funny, too. He definitely takes after that Felix."

The first manager nodded. "Yeah, for sure. Felix always won big with the Super Lucky Dice."

"Well, so much for our plans..."

"Serves you right," Amiti smirked. He was glad he didn't have to deal with them.

On the way to the inn, though, Amiti's thoughts turned once more to Alex.

He knew conflict with the man was unavoidable... And Amiti wondered how they were going to deal with him.

He wasn't looking forward to it, that's for sure.

…

**Author:** Hey. This chapter took a little longer due to some tests I had to take, and I didn't have time to type on this.

So, the party finds out the truth... And Nowell takes it the hardest. Hmm. Also, there were some Steamshipping hints in this chapter. (And I guess that goes whether we're talking about the original Steamshipping or Steamshipping 2.0. Lol. And yes... I was once a Steamshipper. I still don't see why they couldn't have had it happen. Ah, well.)

So... Seth, too, is good at gambling. That's just because I always gamble till I win big in TLA. Plus, Felix really is that lucky if you think about it... (All the near-misses with death and everything...) So it makes sense. Plus, this story needs a hint or two of humor after last chapter...

Anyways, next one will be up as soon as possible! This story's headed towards it's grand finale. (But isn't there just yet.)

**Supaku: **Yep. That chapter really tears at my heartstrings, too. Worst part is, I sort of had that planned for a post-TLA fic before and... The farther I got into Dark Dawn the more I realized something really bad could've happened to Felix. Dang. I really want to know where he and Sheba are for real! I hope it isn't too tragic... Good luck with your hand, by the way. I've read half of your update and plan to get to the rest when I can. (I'm pretty busy right now...)**  
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**JamesK716: **Yeah. Sorry. I hope the pace picks up as we head to the final battle and all that. (Seriously, the battle's gonna be cool.) I really kind of wanted them to be half-siblings... But I have a reason why they aren't, that I'll reveal soon. I may do a spin-off of this someday that delves into that possibility. Anyway, glad to hear from you!

**GraysonPaladin: **You'll see soon enough. Eventually, reading that part very carefully may reveal a certain piece of foreshadowing... That I'm going to say no more about. Thanks for the review!**  
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**-Keyblade-Bearer: **Your review made me laugh a lot. Thanks. Geez, Pudding. Wow.**  
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**Heckenschutze: **Well, that was the point of the flashback. I actually like flashbacks a lot, myself. Yeah, happy late Star Wars day to you, too. May the 4th be with you.**  
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**MixItUp: **Thanks! I like both alright, too. Anywho, everyone will get their chance to shine in the last big fight. Which isn't too far from now. Hope you like the update!**  
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**Mystics Apprentice: **Well, nice to have a new reader! It may take you a while to find this response, but I'm glad you like this story so far. It only gets better from the start (at least I think so...) This is my first really intense GS story, so it took a while to pick up totally. Enjoy!**  
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	26. Dangerous Territory

_Chapter Twenty-Six: Dangerous Territory_

Diamond and Clovos opened the door the the High Empyror's throne room. He had summoned them there for some reason, and they stood quietly as they awaited his words.

Finally, the High Empyror smiled and nodded at them. "Greetings, my loyal subjects. I trust all is going well in the lower levels?"

Diamond nodded. "Yes, all is well. We should have plenty of power to supply the airships for another trip through the skies. We really must locate the Anemos before much longer, though. Our... power supply is going to burn out eventually."

The High Empyror laughed. "No need to worry. We have other means, don't we? Arcanus could lend us some of his power if need be. Or that other one, perhaps. What was his name again...? I sensed the same energy inside of him. He is stronger than he lets on."

Diamond and Clovos shared a glance, then Clovos stepped forward. "My lord, about those two... They have their own agenda, I'm sure of it. Felix—that's that man's real name—he's really on the side of those pesky heroes. His son is among them, and he'd do anything to help them. He used to be a hero himself, and he still has that heroic side."

The High Empyror scoffed. "Why do you bother telling me this? I know that man—Felix, you say? I know he is on their side. I've known that all along. That makes it much more enjoyable to watch him break, don't you think? He has not the slightest clue."

Diamond shook her head. "That may be so, my lord, but... What of Arcanus? He knows more than Felix, and he's too dangerous. He's only out for his own gain."

"Arcanus is a difficult case," the High Empyror admitted, "but not too much for me to handle. When his usefulness runs out, I will be rid of him. Until then, so long as he remains loyal to me I shall make use of his power."

Diamond and Clovos shared a glance. "About that, my lord..." Clovos said, a smirk appearing on his face. "I have an interesting story to tell you. It's about Blados and Chalis, and how they met their end. Felix shared a most insightful story with the heroes about his past, and what he knew of the past of a man he called Alex. I'm sure you'll enjoy hearing it. It is most ironic."

The High Empyror's brow wrinkled, and he leaned forward in curiosity.

…

Amiti shivered as the party got ready to head off into the tundras of the Northern Wilds. It was freezing, and he was still wearing the traveling clothes he'd packed before they left Ayuthay. Luckily, though, Seth had let him borrow one of his extra cloaks. It helped a bit, but Amiti still wasn't used to the cold.

Seth smirked at his friend. "Hey, what's wrong? You're the kid of a guy who lived up in frosty Imil—shouldn't you be okay?"

Rief shook his head. "It's not so much about genetics as the environment you grow up in. Besides... His mother was from Ayuthay, through and through."

Amiti smiled at his friends. "It's okay. I'll get used to it. Please, don't worry about me. I'm tough enough to handle it."

If Tyrell and Eoleo heard, they managed not to snicker. All things considered, Amiti really did show tremendous ability to adapt—he'd come a long way from being the sheltered Prince of Ayuthay they'd met at the start. When he returned home to Ayuthay, he'd be a wiser and stronger King indeed.

As the group trudged through the ice and snow, Amiti wasn't the only one shivering. Seth and Eos both seemed pretty fidgety, and it was only getting worse as they grew closer to Prox. Finally, Takeru frowned at Eos.

"Forgive me if I am wrong, Eos, but didn't you mention to me when we were imprisoned that Proxians are immune to the cold?"

Eos frowned, and nodded. "We are," she said. "It's not the cold that's bothering me."

Seth chuckled nervously. "Karst is gonna kill us when we show up."

Amiti, Eoleo, and the other children of the Warriors all went a little blue in the face. Finally, Rief smiled up at Eos and Seth. "Ah... I'm sure that she won't. She put a lot of effort into raising the two of you, I'm pretty sure she wants you both alive."

"You're damned right about that."

The whole party started, and glanced in the direction of the voice. Standing on an icy bluff above them was the infamous Warrior of Prox herself. Needless to say, Karst's manner of dressing hadn't changed in the past thirty years. The only thing different about her, besides the slight effect of aging, was the flicker of kindness in her eyes as she looked down as Eos and Seth. Yes, she did truly love those children.

Takeru took one look at her and nodded. "Okay, fair enough. I guess Proxians really don't feel the cold."

Karst jumped down, landing lithely in front of him with a grin on her face. "Have anything else to say, warrior? I didn't think so." Karst turned her gaze to Matthew, then, and she walked over to stand in front of him. "So, you must be Isaac's boy. Felix's nephew, too. There's something of your mother in you, I can see it. You've got her soul. Once, I might've felt bitter towards you, but those days are gone. I've died too many times since then to care about revenge any longer."

"Violence begets only more violence," Rief said.

Karst turned towards Rief and Amiti, and frowned at the latter. There was something fierce in her gaze, but Amiti did not stand down. He was done hiding from the truth. Let her see what he really was.

However, Karst said nothing, only nodded and turned to face Eos and Seth. Both were trying very hard to look innocent and insignificant. Karst clocked Seth over the head lightly. "Quit it with the I-didn't-do-it looks, you two! I've put up with you disappearing from time to time, Seth, it's somewhat to be expected after you found out your heritage. I know you want to find the Anemos, you want to be like your Dad. Fair enough. As for you," Karst turned on Eos, gaze fiery, "I never gave you permission to go out after your brother!"

Eos stood her ground. "Like your parents gave you permission to go out after Aunt Menardi and Uncle Saturos!"

Karst's expression darkened. "My sister and I were orphaned long before then. Saturos, Menardi, and Felix were the closest family I had. And all of them left. And now, even you left."

Eos looked down, ashamed. "I'm sorry, Mom. I should've told you. But I couldn't let Seth go on alone."

Karst sighed, but there was understanding in her eyes. "Come here," she said, smiling a little as Eos ran and gave her a big hug. Seth didn't know what to do, and just stood off to the side kind of awkwardly. Finally, Karst beckoned him over and Seth smiled as he gave Karst a hug. "There. That's better. Now, best if we run along. Prox isn't too much farther."

And waiting for them in Prox was a nice warm house and hot, steaming tea and cocoa. The party kicked back and relaxed, letting the conversations turn where they would to the past and what was going on. They avoided the topic they were all thinking about—the upcoming trek into the deadly darkness that had already claimed so many lives.

The territory they were in was already dangerous enough.

…

"The High Empyror has summoned you."

Clovos had come to tell Alex that over half an hour ago, yet Alex dawdled in his chambers. The look on Clovos's face had not been very reassuring. He knew he couldn't keep the High Empyror waiting much longer.

Still, no matter what the nature of this summons was, Alex hoped to use it to glean at least a little more information from the Tuaperang. There were some questions he still wanted answers to.

He knew he had to get them soon.

By the time Alex strode confidently into the High Empyror's throne room, he was convinced this was not going to be a good meeting. Diamond and Clovos shut the door behind them, and the way Diamond was fingering the hilt of her sword was disconcertining. Clovos looked positively bloodthirsty. Still, Alex refused to show any doubts he had—he was the most powerful! He had no reason to be afraid!

"Hello, Alex," The High Empyror said, grinning creepily.

Alex managed to keep his face composed. _Alex. Not Arcanus. That means he knows._ But how much did he know?

"Your Highness?" Alex questioned.

"What is this I hear about your treason agains the Tuaperang at Apollo Sanctum? Diamond and Clovos say you attacked Blados and Chalis without second thought to buy the heroes time in their quest to end the Grave Eclipse! And yet, you claim you only knew they met their end there, not how it could've happened. The Eclipse was supposed to last longer than it did, until we were ready for the next stage of our plans!"

Alex said nothing. His thoughts, however, were running fast. _The Eclipse would never have been a part of my plan if it could have been avoided. However, Apollo Sanctum had to be lit in order to activate Artemis. I need to tame Alchemy, damn it! With only it's raw power, I am weaker than I want to be. That's the whole reason I started my quest to restore the Alchemy Machines!_

Alex shook his head as images swam before his mind, left over from the trials he'd faced over the years. No. Think not of that. Think nothing of that.

"I am sorry, Your Highness. But I thought you would want your goals realized as soon as possible. Apollo had to be lit for that."

The High Empyror shook his head, rising from his throne. Alex stood still, but inside was in turmoil. He'd never seen the High Empyror rise from his throne. The man had an aura more evil than anything he'd ever seen, but it was tempered by the fact that he never did anything himself. If he was going to do something... Alex truly was afraid. He wasn't entirely sure if he could defeat him in battle. And Alex never fought if he could help it.

"Alex, you have no further use to me. I refuse to help you further your plans. Now, seize him!" The High Empyror gestured to Diamond and Clovos, the grin still painted on his face. "Take him to the lowest level, where we've been keeping the other one!"

"Fool!" Alex shouted, deftly dodging the attacks and slipping aside. His sea-blue eyes burned with anger and questions. "The other one, you say? I've heard whispers before, Your Highness. This other one... Who exactly is this other one?"

"Like we have to tell you!" Clovos shouted, smirking.

Diamond turned, her eyes shining with sadistic joy. "Too bad, she's been so desperate to be saved. Though it isn't _Alex_ she cries out for. She's vital to our plans. Unlike you."

The laughter she and Clovos shared confirmed Alex had been thinking for some time. A smirk crossed his face as he realized that, now that he had no ties with the Tuaperang any longer he was free to say what he wanted.

"I see. Well, since my usefulness to you has met its end, I guess I'll bid you adieu. I do not plan to be taken prisoner and used in such a way. You are a kingdom of bastards if you really think you can get away with such things! You will meet your end, mark my words!"

Alex warped away just as Diamond was about to grab him. Alex ran, warping down the corridor as swiftly as he could. He paused as he passed the door to Felix's chambers.

He didn't have to do this.

He should just keep going, save his own life. But Alex knew they'd be after Felix next. Gods knew, without Alex watching his back he'd probably find one of Diamond's throwing chakrams sticking out of it. Alex respected the man more than that. He wasn't about to let Felix die so stupidly.

Silently, Alex warped inside Felix's chambers. Felix was fast asleep, a rarity. Alex shook his shoulder, and Felix snapped to consciousness almost instantly.

"What in the...? Alex, what're you doing here?"

"I've broken my ties with the Tuaperang. I'm getting out of here—and I suggest you do the same. They'll be after you, too, eventually."

Felix sat up, shaking his head. "Can't say I didn't see it coming. Alright. What's your plan to get out of here?"

"I'm stealing one of their airships."

"Okay," Felix said, jumping out of bed. "Let's get going."

As they exited the door, Alex put a hand on Felix's shoulder. "Felix... There is one more thing. I think your destination is elsewhere. You shouldn't come with me—you need to head down, not up."

Felix's brow wrinkled in confusion. "Why? What...?"

Alex took a deep breath. "They have a prisoner down there, one I never could learn much about. A whisper here, a word there. But I'm positive of a few things. She's an Adept, and an exceedingly strong one. From what I've gleaned... She's probably Jupiter."

Felix's face was one of dead shock. Alex didn't blame him. He'd been heartbroken for so long, he'd given up hope. Even now, he had little. But part of him had never been able to let go completely.

Alex tightened his grip on Felix's shoulder for a moment before letting go. "Go, Felix. I can't be positive that it's her, but if it is... Good luck. You've always had a lucky streak. So don't despair. It doesn't suit you. You're too heroic at heart. Save the prisoner and get out of here."

Alex was about to warp away again when Felix turned to face him. "Alex, wait."

Alex didn't have time to wait, and yet he turned around for one last moment.

Felix smiled gratefully at Alex. "Thanks, Alex. I still don't understand you—and the more I learn about you, the less I understand. I still don't trust you. But... I know you're not as cold and distant as you try to appear."

Alex looked away. "Is that all, Felix?"

Felix shook his head. "I don't know what happened in your past, Alex, to make you the way you are... But I feel sorry for you. Truly, I do. Farewell."

"Farewell..." Alex said, warping away as Felix ran down the hall.

Oh, Alex could run from the Tuaperang. He could run ever toward his goals.

But as he boarded an airship and took off into the sky, he realized he could never escape his memories. They would always haunt him, forever.

…

"Alex! Hey, Alex!"

Alex cried out in surprise as Mia ran into him from behind, hugging him. "What is it, Mia?"

"Dad says he's going to start teaching me to be a healer! Isn't that great?"

Alex looked into his cousin's bright and happy eyes. She was a couple of years younger than him, and he'd been apprenticed by his father already. Their whole family was in the trade, and had been for generations. Still, it was an important day when a child was deemed old enough to learn the art of healing. Alex smiled happily at his cousin, playing with her bangs.

"That's wonderful, Mia! I'm happy for you!"

Mia giggled. "Alex, wanna play Psynergy with me?"

She didn't even wait for an answer, only flung snow at him with her powers.

Alex smiled, stopping the snow before it hit him.

Their life was so blissfully simple, back then. Alex had never thought it would ever be otherwise.

That was before the illness swarmed the north of Angara.

It was a terrible fever, very dangerous. Many people died from it, but especially children and elderly. The healers were hard at work, doing all they could to save lives. However, it soon became obvious that their duties were taking a toll on the healers, too. Many of them started getting sick and dying.

Alex and Mia were playing outside, trying not to think about the sadness that was happening all around them. It hadn't hit home yet, and they counted their blessings. But their luck ran out all too soon.

"Mia—I'm going to get you! You can't hide from me forev—" Alex was cut off by a catch in his throat. A moment later, he bent over double in a fit of coughing.

Mia, who'd been trying to keep silent, saw him, and ran up to him frantically.

"Alex!" She cried.

It was the last thing he heard for a long time.

His memories for a stretch were nothing more than a blur. He vaguely recalled his parents doing all they could to help him, but eventually their presence was replaced.

By the time he awakened, it was too late.

His parents were both dead, died of the sickness. Standing at their graves, Alex could only blame himself. He was the one who caught it first, he was the one who'd killed them. He'd almost died, too.

It had scared him.

He didn't want to die.

He became an apprentice of Mia's father, his own father's brother... But it wasn't the same.

It was never the same again.

Alex was forever changed—the innocent, open, happy boy he had been once had been replaced by a sullen, quiet, lonely boy who feared death and loss more than anything.

It was that that pushed him to learn all that he could in what little time he had. It was that which led him to discover the legends of the Golden Sun and the powers it could grant a person. It was that which led him to crave immortality—if he could achieve it, he'd never have to fear death again.

Eventually, it was what led him to Ayuthay.

Ayuthay.

In Ayuthay, Alex somehow became weak once again. Somehow, he'd allowed Veriti to change him. Somehow, he'd actually believed that he could be happy there. But his joy hadn't lasted. As much as he wanted to stay, he feared staying. He feared remaining somewhere too long and forgetting his true quest—until he gained immortality, he could never rest in peace.

He didn't mean to get Veriti with child, to father Amiti. He didn't mean for Veriti to die—probably his fault, too, if it had been due to complications with her pregnancy or the childbirth.

It wasn't like it mattered.

Her presence would haunt him forever, now, more so than it had in all the years since he'd left Ayuthay in the first place. Just as he always felt that his parents haunted him, so did she.

…

Alex had come a long way over his lifetime, he knew.

But it still wasn't far enough.

…

**Author: **Yay! A little bit of Alex's past, more of the Tuaperang, more Amiti... This chapter was pretty great!

I really don't have too much to say about this one, besides that the next one is going to be pretty awesome. Not long now before the big ending battle. Three guesses as to who the final boss/bosses are gonna be.

I really am eventually going to do a story just about Alex. Also one about Piers, maybe one about Felix... Also maybe one about the fallout from TLA and the first Soarwing. Wouldn't that be cool?

Anyway, see you next chapter!**  
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**JamesK716: **They aren't. Nowell was just looking for a comeback, and that was the best she could think of. It would be too weird. (Though, considering that there are people who ship Felix with Jenna... It's not that wierd...)**  
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**MixItUp: **Which Steamshipping? I can't think of any Garet/Mia ones off the top of my head, and I think I may be the first to ship Tyrell/Nowell. (Expect a shipping fic from me eventually for that one. *Smiles*) And I think that might be the last gambling reference, but oh well. Seriously, I was disappointed that there was none in DD. Then again, the only gambling places in game before then were in Tolbi and Contigo, and neither was in there. Hmm.**  
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**Supaku: **Thanks. I always enjoy good critisism, too. Glad you like it, and thanks for telling me where it needs work! There's more of Alex in this one, and the next one's gonna be fun. Sort of. :) Keep up your good work, too.**  
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**Heckenschutze: **Thanks! I hope to see something similar happen in the games. Nothing would make me happier than to see him admit he really loved Veriti and had human weakness... Though I've seen some weird theories that have him planning to possess Amiti's body and stuff like that. Creepy. No thanks, I'll stick with humanizing him. He's still he awesomest bad guy in gaming history if you ask me. (Sorry, Sephiroth and Ganon...) **  
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**Smasher. The-Keyblade-Bearer: **Well, I'm trying to finish this asap, so that's maybe why it's a bit forced. Sorry. I'll try to keep putting top notch effort into this, but I'm eager to write the end battle. It's gonna be fun! I love writing fight scenes! Okay... As for your random thoughts, you're talking about Knight-Dawn, right? Lol, if so I really thought that was clever. As for the Keyblade thing... I often have wondered what mine would look like if I got one. Oh well. I'll stick with a super-awesome magical sword. Thanks.**  
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**Mystics Apprentice: **Thanks for your feedback! I was really hoping to see Takeru in DD, but I'm sure he'll be in the next one. As for Amiti... I hope you find him likable in later chapters. And I'm glad you like my take on Alex. I've mentioned it in several author notes, but he is very hard to capture. At this point, I'm just sort of going with it. Hope it turns out well. See you later!**  
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	27. Light Within Darkness

_Chapter Twenty-Seven: Light Within Darkness_

Felix ran down, ever deeper, not daring to stop. His sword was drawn, his fingers clenched tight around it's hilt in readiness. He couldn't be sure how much time he had before the Tuaperang found him. He couldn't be sure he'd even find what he wanted to. He couldn't let hope grow in his heart, not yet, but he couldn't afford doubt, either.

_Save the prisoner._ That was enough of a goal to set. No matter who she was, Felix didn't want her to suffer. If she did turn out to be Sheba, though...

Felix shook his head. He couldn't worry about anything yet. He still didn't know.

Finally, he turned down a corridor and found himself at the foot of the stairs. Felix leaned up against the wall, panting, until this moment unaware of how long he'd been running. He realized he had no clue how far down he was, how long it would take to go back.

Felix clenched his free hand into a fist and gritted his teeth, his other hand gripping his sword ever more fiercely. Pointless to dwell on that now. Just keep going. His footsteps were lithe and swift as he approached the door at the end of the hall. Only when he brought his hand up to open it did he hesitate. He felt a catch in his throat as a wave of desperation ran through his body. _Please..._ Felix thought, closing his eyes as he slid the door open with a wave of Psynergy.

Slowly, silently, he opened them again. Nothing could've prepared him for what he then saw.

His sword fell to the metal floor with a loud clang as he rushed forward to her side.

…

It was dark, damp, and cold where Amiti found himself. He'd never been in such a place before, yet there was something strangely familiar about the halls he wandered aimlessly down. It took him a while, but he finally realized what it was.

The craftsmanship was undoubtedly Ayuthay. The pillars, the stonework... But if this hall were indeed in Ayuthay, he'd never walked it in his lifetime.

It had to be underground. That much was obvious. But it lacked the glow and warmth of the underground Amiti had played in so often in his childhood. There was something downright creepy about the passage, and Amiti found himself shivering. He was wearing the clothes he'd always worn in Ayuthay, too.

_It's a dream, _Amiti told himself_. I'm only dreaming. I can't be in Ayuthay, I'm in Prox._

He walked on, following the path ever deeper into the darkness. He began to hear the comforting sound of running water ahead, and his footsteps unconsciously quickened as he made haste to find the source. He felt strange, and realized that it was because the now-familiar weight of his Masamune was gone. He had no weapon on him. All the more reason to find the water.

Up ahead, he saw a light. Amiti wondered if it were an exit, and ran toward it. Then, he noticed another appear beside it, and another. He stopped, standing still.

Down the hall, he heard singing. A child's voice, crisp and clear. He didn't understand the words, but there was something eerie about the song itself. It was as though Amiti had heard it before, in a dream.

Then, abruptly, the singing stopped, and the voice called out in prose, still song-like.

"Lights, go away. I'll not follow you. Oh, I'll not follow you, not today. I don't want to go, not that way. Fare thee well, lost souls, fare thee well."

The lights lingered a moment longer, then winked out into the darkness.

Amiti took a hesitant step forward, wondering. He still could not see the child, but she had started humming again, the same eerie tune as before, occasionally speaking in a sing-song voice.

"Don't go down there, they tell me. It's not a place for a girl to play. So dark and deep, the lost souls keep, where many have vanished away."

Amiti turned around the corner, foot splashing into the dark water as he found it at last, his eyes lighting for one fragile instant on the child herself. She was young, he saw, no older than ten, but pale and beautiful none the less. There was something strange about her, about the way she held herself. Her eyes met his eyes. Amiti shivered, gazing into them. They were too wise on the face of someone so young. Too wise and too innocent all at once.

The girl frowned, rising to her feet.

"Light, go away!"

And then, she was gone.

…

Amiti woke in a cold sweat, panting from shock. He felt a shiver run down his spine as his mind wrapped around the idea his heart was feeling.

"Amiti?"

Amiti turned around in surprise. Rief, Tyrell, and Matthew were all in the same room as him. He wasn't sure exactly how the others had split up, but there wasn't an awful lot of free space in Prox. Just enough, luckly.

Rief was sleepily rubbing his eyes and sitting up from his own futon. He smiled wearily at Amiti. "Bad dream?"

Amiti sighed, then shook his head. "No... Just very strange."

Rief yawned. "Tell me about it?"

Amiti smiled, a tinge of longing in his eyes. "Well... I'm not entirely sure, but I think it was about Mother."

Rief blinked in surprise. "Princess Veriti?"

Amiti nodded. "Ever since Uncle revealed the truth of my birth to me, the truth about Mother not really being the person I thought she was... I've doubted the stories I was told about her. Most of them, naturally, are obviously false. Any that speak of her miraculous powers, for example. They can't be true. Yet... Some of the tales still could be."

Rief frowned in curiosity. "What do you mean?"

"They said she found the Luna Mask, deep in a dungeon not unlike the Ouroboros. They say it was located somewhere in a maze of catacombs not far from Ayuthay, but no one knows exactly where. At least, they wouldn't tell me where it was. They say the dungeon was haunted, cursed. That those who entered never saw the light of day again."

Rief smirked. "Yeah. They say that of a lot of places. And people like us constantly prove those tales wrong. Alex probably found the Luna Mask."

Amiti frowned. "True enough... Except Uncle said Mother tended to wander off from time to time. That's a consistent enough fact among those old enough to remember her. She was a strange, quiet child, so they say, even if she was likable and happy most of the time. It's why it was easy to convince the people that she had strange powers. I... It's strange, but I want to believe at least one of the stories. At least that one has a ring of truth to it still."

Rief shrugged. "If you say so. So, what was your dream about?"

Amiti sighed, laying down again and pulling the covers up to his chin. "Don't worry about it, Rief. I'm all right. Get some sleep—we have a long trek ahead of us tomorrow."

As both Water Adepts drifted off to sleep, Matthew opened one eye just a peek before shutting it again. Best not to say anything more, if Amiti were done talking. Matthew couldn't help but feel a little sad for Amiti's sake as well, but he didn't have to say it. Matthew stayed still and tried to fall asleep again himself, but something kept flitting about at the edge of his thought. What was it? What could it be?

Finally, Matthew gave up on returning to sleep and just got up. Before he knew it, he was outside, scarf pulled tight around his face, gazing out towards the horizon that bore the first tell-tale glow of the dawn.

Matthew found himself wondering if Isaac had ever done the same, wondering if perhaps Isaac were doing the same at this very moment.

_I want to believe that he is,_ Matthew thought, smiling a little. Yes. Best to believe it.

"Sometimes, it helps to think that way."

Matthew didn't startle at the quiet voice that had come from behind him. He'd half-expected it. It was strange, but somehow he'd known Sveta had followed him outside.

Matthew turned to face her, eyes sparkling in hope and longing. He was scared about going into the north, scared about fighting the Tuaperang and facing Alex, scared about all the possibilities the future held, both good and bad.

Sveta moved quiet as a shadow to stand beside him, linking her arm with his. She didn't have to read his mind to know what he was thinking, but even if she was reading it now Matthew didn't care. She understood.

Whatever the future held, they'd all face it. Together.

"Come on, Sveta," He said at last. "Let's go wake the others."

…

The party was solemn as they made their way from Prox. Karst had joined them, following in restless silence. As they grew ever nearer to the thick darkness that hung like a poison fog over the northern lands, they grew increasingly worried about what they'd find within it.

"Felix survived it..." Seth muttered, half to himself. "Let's not forget that."

"Yes," Karst agreed. "But the Warriors of Prox didn't."

Eos shivered, and certainly not from the cold. Her mother's tone of voice was not reassuring. Then again, Karst was fairly blunt when it came down to such matters. She didn't believe in sheltering her children with lies.

When at last they came to the edge of the darkness, Matthew turned to face the group. He said not a word, but he didn't have to. His face told them all they needed to know. The time for weakness was over, it was time to be strong. Like their parents. Like the Warriors.

And with that, they walked into the shadow as one. Immediately, they felt it's effects. It was stifling, choking. Not unlike the Eclipse. Half of it was born of fear, the other half by the evil power that was so strong here.

For a while, they made way without trouble. Then, Amiti's eyes widened in fear. "Karis!" He shouted, too late.

"Eeep!" To everyone but Amiti, Karis appeared to be floating up in the air all by herself, clutching at something around her waist.

Without hesitation, Amiti leapt up into the air and drew his Masamune in a fluid motion. There was a sound of cutting, and a shriek of inhuman pain. Sveta, Eos, and Karst clutched at their ears.

Karis dropped, landing lithely. She drew her own sword, though she had little hope that it'd do any good against an invisible foe. Besides, Amiti was running forward again, after something he, at least, could see. A quick and deft thrust of his blade, and it was done.

As the creature died, it faded into view. It was a large, dragon-looking thing, but hideously ugly. Amiti wrinkled his nose in disdain and wiped his sword clean. Then he turned back to the party. "Karis, are you hurt?"

She shook her head. "No. I'm all right."

Amiti sheathed the blade, smiling in relief. "Good."

"This is bad," Seth said. The others looked at him, and he shook his head. "While Amiti was fighting, I tried using 'Reveal,' but all I could make out was a vague haze, barely perceptible. No way it'd be easy to fight something that blind."

"Dammit!" Tyrell sighed, eyebrow twitching in frustration. "This is just wonderful! You're the only one who can see those damn things, Amiti! They could kill us before you get them!"

Rief swallowed, nervous. Then he met Amiti's eyes. "At least one of us can see them."

"They have the same cloaking power as Clovos, don't they?" Karis asked.

Amiti sighed. "This is not good. I can't keep my eyes trained in every direction at once."

"At least you have to try," Karis sighed. "It's our only chance."

Thus, they continued, with Amiti on guard for more foes. The next to be targeted was Matthew.

"Look out!" Amiti shouted, running at his friend.

Matthew cried out in pain as a wound opened on his shoulder. He clutched it, frantically looking around for any clue as to the monster's whereabouts.

Behind him, he heard an inhuman growl, and a moment later Sveta lunged forward in beastform. As she tore at something blindly with her claws and teeth, Matthew caught a glimpse of her eyes. They were gold again, not forest-green. He felt a chill go down his spine.

Then he realized that was just Amiti casting 'Ply' as he, too, ran by to join Sveta in the battle.

When the foe fell at last, Sveta reverted to human form, clutching at her head. "Uggh..."

Amiti clapped her on the shoulder, calling on a Djinni to restore her to health.

"You all right?" Karis asked her.

Sveta nodded, and when she opened her eyes they were back to normal, too.

"What happened there?" Matthew asked, and Sveta met his eyes.

Sveta shrugged. "I couldn't really see it, or smell it... But when it hurt you, I sort of lost it. I could make out a shadow while I was angry, though. Still, now I have nothing."

The party all stared at the fallen enemy, a spider creature they recognized all too well.

"It's just like the ones from under the Eclipse..." Eoleo muttered.

"A creature born of darkness no light may touch," Takeru said, nodding. "This darkness is not unlike that darkness, is it?"

"I dunno..." Tyrell said, glancing at Sveta. Then he smirked. "Say, why don't we do something to make her royal highness angry again, though? Maybe then she can help Amiti out a little."

Sveta frowned. "I don't understand. This cloaking power... Before, we though perhaps it was Amiti's Insight that granted him the ability to see through it. Yet, in certain circumstances he is not the only one who can see through it. It's strange, isn't it?"

"If only we could figure out the key, it would be so much easier..." Rief sighed.

Matthew frowned, then perked up as a thought came to him. He glanced at Karis and shook his head. "Maybe... Karis, do you remember what Isaac said? All that time ago, in the Tanglewood?"

Karis frowned. "Tanglewood? ...Oh, wow. That feels like ages ago. Way back before we started this quest."

"A lifetime ago," Amiti sighed, smiling faintly.

"What did Isaac say, you ask?" Karis's brow wrinkled. "When, Matthew? What did he say?"

Matthew stood up straight. "When we were burning the corrupted trees to make the way through. He said, "people with pure hearts can see right through corruption." Something like that. Well, I'm going to say he spoke truly—That maybe, there is such a power out there. That... That maybe it isn't even unique to Adepts."

It dawned on Amiti, what Matthew was getting at. "The power that lies within a pure heart, to see through the corruption? I don't know..."

"Besides," Eoleo smirked, "If Sveta didn't have it before, why when she got mad?"

"Oh, you mean you can't figure it out?"

The entire party startled as one, turning to the sound of the all-too familiar voice.

It was Alex, leaning on the doorway of a Tuaperang airship. His face was carefully composed.

Nowell frowned. "You!"

Alex glanced at her, unconcerned. "How rude. You're Mia's child, by the look of you. Have you no love for your mother's cousin? I guess not. I'm probably not too well liked in Imil, am I? Not that I care."

"You care more than you care to," Rief said, crossing his arms.

Alex frowned in annoyance. Amiti clenched the hilt of his Masamune tightly. "Enough, Alex! You were about to say something, so spit it out."

Alex raised an eyebrow. "You dare order me, your royal highness?"

Nowell frowned. "Just because he's your son doesn't mean he's below you! He's more noble than you'll ever be!"

Tyrell snickered, nudging Amiti with his elbow. "See? What'd I tell you?"

Nowell hit him.

Alex shook his head. "If you can't even get along amongst yourselves, you have no chance against your foes. Their fortress is in that direction, by the way. You're not too far from it. Also... You might want to hurry. I think Felix may be in a bit of a predicament."

He turned away and shut the door. Rief frowned, taking a step forward. "Hey! Not so fast! Tell us what you were going to say first!"

But it was too late, and the airship vanished clear into the air.

"Damn him," Tyrell swore. Nowell nodded in agreement.

Seth sighed. "Let's hurry. I don't like the sound of what he said."

…

"Sheba..." Felix cried, tears falling openly down his face. "Oh, Sheba..."

He held her gently in his strong arms, dearly. She was alive. Unconscious at the moment, yes, but he could feel her heart beating, her chest moving up and down in shallow breaths. She was alive. His Sheba was alive.

He ran his fingers through her pale hair, ran his hands along her face. She was thinner than she'd been when he last saw her, but surprisingly not too underweight. She looked every bit the angel he remembered her to be, and he thanked the gods for that. Yet, there was a frailness about her, a weariness to her features that hadn't been there before. Twenty years. Gods. Twenty years, it had been since he'd seen her. Oh, he wished she would wake.

Felix picked her up in his arms, knowing he had no time but feeling like he had forever. "Sheba..." He sighed, pressing his face into her hair. He had to go, had to take her with him. There was no more time to waste.

"I don't care," Felix muttered. "I don't care how annoyed you get, I'm never letting go of you again, Sheba. Never."

He stood, holding her in his arms, and walked over to his sword where it lay, cast aside. Carefully, he picked it up and sheathed it again. He couldn't fight and carry Sheba at the same time.

"Hurry and wake, love," Felix sighed. "I need you to be able to fight by my side once more."

With that, Felix started the long journey back up the stairs and into the light.

He almost made it to the top before the sound of metal clinking against metal drifted to his ears.

"Son of a bitch!" Diamond shrieked, throwing a chakram at Felix. "Unhand her! She's our prisoner!"

Felix expertly dodged the weapon, eyes glinting fiercely in his anger. He held out one hand, still holding Sheba with the other, and unleashed a powerful 'Odyssey.' Diamond was flung backwards.

"No," Felix said, firmly. "She's _mine_."

_My love, my dearest... Mother of my child. How dare you call her yours? She's mine, she'll always be mine. I'll never lose her again._

Clovos appeared behind him, and he started. Damn. Felix couldn't fight both of them at once.

_Much as I'm grateful, Alex... Damn you for running away again! I need backup! Come on, Sheba..._

"Hand over the prisoner, Felix," Clovos said. "You can't hope to defeat us."

"I am a Warrior of Vale!" Felix growled. "I'll never give up! Never! You are not getting Sheba!"

He turned and fled down the hall toward the airship dock. If he could just make it...

"...Felix."

He felt his heart swell as Sheba muttered his name. Glancing down at her face, he watched as her violet eyes blinked open and dazedly stared at him in disbelief. Unable to do anything else, Felix smiled at her wearily.

"I knew you'd come find me..." Sheba sighed.

Felix nodded. "Hold on. We're almost free."

He turned and shot another 'Odyssey' down the hall. One of Diamond's chakrams flew by, catching only the barest end of Felix's ponytail as he ducked around the corner. It was much easier to dodge her throwing chakrams than her sword. Probably why she didn't fight ranged often.

Felix didn't even bother asking Sheba to unleash her own powers. He could tell she was in no state to be fighting.

Not much farther. Felix was growing tired swiftly—he was nearly at his limit. But he couldn't stop now, not when he was so close to the end.

Then, not ten paces from the dock and the light of day, Felix lost his footing. He twisted as he fell so Sheba wouldn't hit the ground, but he hit it rather hard himself and saw stars as the wind was knocked out of him. Sheba tried to stand up, but couldn't. At the edge of his vision, Felix saw Diamond and Clovos approaching, cruel looks on their faces. No. Not now.

"Felix..." Sheba cried, and all he could do was hold her close.

"I'm sorry..." he sighed. "I tried."

_I just wasn't good enough..._

Just then, there was a gust of wind. Both Warriors turned their gaze towards it, and Felix couldn't help but smile. Maybe he wouldn't have made it on his own, but that was okay. He didn't have to.

The backup he'd so desperately needed had arrived.

"You jerks better leave them alone!" Tyrell called.

"Stay back!" Karis agreed. "Fight us, not them—they're in no condition for it!"

"We're ready to face you, fiends!" Amiti added.

The rest of them nodded their agreement, weapons drawn and ready, Psynergy glowing around them in a halo of light.

One alone let his gaze linger on the Warriors. Sheba met his eyes, and a confused look crossed her face. Felix sat up, holding an arm around her.

Sheba turned to face Felix, her eyes trembling and teary.

"Felix... That man... He... Who is he?"

Felix didn't know what to say.

"Felix, where's Seth? Where's my baby?"

Felix bit his lip, slowly shaking his head as he glanced at Seth where he stood in Matthew's party. "Sheba... Do you know how long it's been?"

Sheba shook her head slowly. "No. The last thing I remember clearly is falling away from you in the pass—After that, it's just a blur of blackness most of the time. Occasionally, people would come by to torment me, but that's vague, too... But surely it can't have been more than a few months. Right?" Felix said nothing. Sheba bit her lip. "Felix? Felix, please... Answer me. Or I'll just read your mind. But I don't want to have to do that."

Felix shook his head, clasping her hands tightly in his. "Sheba, I'm so sorry. It... It's been a lot longer than you think. It hasn't just been a few months." Felix's voice was hoarse. "It hasn't even only been a few years, Sheba... It's been close to two decades. I thought you were dead."

Sheba's face grew even paler, her eyes wide in shock. "Twenty years? It... It can't be." She collapsed against his chest, and he held her close. She didn't cry, though. She was beyond tears. "It... can't be."

Felix shook his head, watching the children fight from afar. He couldn't help them, not right now. Right now, Sheba needed him the most. "It's going to be okay now," Felix said. "I promise you, Sheba. It's going to be okay."

Sheba sat up, meeting his eyes. The shadow of a smile crossed her wan but pretty face. "You've really gone through hell, haven't you?"

Felix laughed dryly. "You don't even know the half of it, Sheba. But soon enough, you will. I'll tell you everything."

Sheba smiled then, if faintly, before leaning in to kiss her love dearly. Felix held her gently all the while, bidding all dark thoughts away.

_Everything..._ He thought. _Yes, everything. This isn't going to be easy. But I will tell her the truth._

He knew she would understand.

…

**Author: **Details, details. Such a pain.

So, with the definite reveal that Sheba is, in fact, alive... I will now clarify my reasoning for making Eos unrelated to Felix. Truly, it'd have more impact if she were his child (and in some ways, would make for a better story) but... I love Sheba too much to be so cruel to her. It's bad enough that she's going to have to deal with the knowledge that he's had a relationship with Karst... At least this way it's not like Eos is living proof of that. So, that's my reasoning. As I said, though, it's a strong plot idea, so you may see it in the future in a short story/one shot from me. Just not in this...

As for the "power of the heart..." I've had that idea since playing DD the second time. I'd like to think maybe it's a real skill and Veriti had something like it... And passed it on to Amiti.

Anyway, things pick up swiftly from here. (And yes, I literally mean UP.)

Oh, and it's sort of unrelated, but on my profile I currently have some links up to pictures I've doodled. Heh. If you've got time you might check them out. :)**  
**

**MixItUp: **Yeah, I know. Maybe in the next one... *Sigh***  
**

**Mystics Apprentice: **Cool that you're enjoying it. Ayuthay was one of my favorite parts to write so far, on par with Lemuria and a few others. I'm glad you knew who Seth was right away. I myself am quite fond of the idea of a Jupiter Warrior, so I had to have him in this. I'm also glad you look forward to seeing more of Alex. :)**  
**

**Heckenschutze: **Well, now that it's out there... You could go back and see that "Felix thought he saw something fly off in the distance, but a moment later it was gone." The Tuaperang have been at it longer than they seem to have been... Oh, yeah. And Xemnas is one of my favorite villains, too. I really like any villain, if they're appropriate to their story.**  
**

**Supaku: **:) Yeah, true enough. Alex could be either way, but I see too many long fics of him as an evil jerk, so I went with the less common characterization. Plus, I just like that way better myself. And yeah. You're right. I don't have the heart to make Felix and Sheba suffer that much. Hence, the whole scene above. Hope you like this chapter!**  
**

**Pr Kaos: **Well, I'm glad you like it. I'm not worried about comparing to other fics, and I happen to love DKS and DoJ. Haven't gotten around to reading much of Risen yet... But eventually. As for Alex, that part of his character was actually inspired by a character in a trilogy called "Coldfire" that begins with "Black Sun Rising." He's very ambitious, but has a weak heart and almost dies. Hence, he realizes his dreams may never be realized, and basically sells his soul to become immortal. So. Yeah. As for Felix... I've always been Lighthouse more than anything. :) Yes, Sol and Anemos are sister sanctums. It's sort of what inspired the idea of Artemis. I really hope something cool like that is put into the next game. And... If you check my profile, I have a list of all my main ships. Seveneye is on there. So... Yeah, you can expect to see it by the end. And I can't recall saying I'm not a shipper, just that shipping wasn't going to be this fics main focus. I enjoy having a strong action involved plot with romantic elements. That's my favorite kind of story. Thanks! :)**  
**

**jollygreendragon: **Aw man. I try so hard to spell things properly, too. I'll fix that in later chaps, and edit it out when I have time. (I'm pretty sure I mis-typed Amiti as Amiri a few times, too. Darn.) Anyway, I'm glad you couldn't find anything glaringly wrong. It's difficult to write a good story, and even more difficult in some ways when you're working with people that already have character to begin with. I'm also glad you like Seth and Eos. I always worry when I write OC's, because people have such a vendetta against them. I do try to make them rounded. (Takeru's one I haven't had the chance to really work into it yet. He gets a moment in the last battle, though, which is coming up soon. He's basically like Susa in TLA, though that may not be obvious yet.) And yeah. I have too many people to work in. I can't tell you how many times I've thought to myself "Something's missing..." and realized I'd forgotten that Kraden was with the party. He kind of takes a back seat anyway. Argh. As for the chapters about exploring and stuff... Yeah, they were side-stories, but that's part of what made TLA so fun for me. So I included them. Hope you like Sheba's return!**  
**


	28. Regrets

_Chapter Twenty-Eight: Regrets  
_

"Quake Sphere!" Matthew cried, unleashing a massive quake against the Tuaparang duo.

Diamond snarled, and she and Clovos swiped in closer, throwing Dark Psynergies the party was unfamiliar with at them. It was very difficult to dodge energy and weapons at once, and Diamond was definitely going all out on them, as was Clovos. As if the sheer speed of her long, thin sword wasn't bad enough, her chakrams were constantly spinning through the air around them, appearing out of nowhere.

"Argh!" Eoleo gasped as one cut a little too close, leaving a thin red streak across his arm. "You'll pay for that!" He then proceeded to rush at her, sword held high over his head as his weapon unleashed a Zenith Strike, a long string of swears accompanying his attack.

Amiti smirked a little, shaking his head at the pirate. He hadn't liked Eoleo to begin with, true enough, but the man's personality did take some getting used to. Amiti's smirk vanished, however, as Eoleo took a direct hit to his shoulder from Diamond's blade. Amiti's eyes flashed in anger, and he ran to Eoleo's side, using a swift 'Ply.' Amiti knew his healing abilities were nowhere near as good as Rief or Nowell's, but of the three Water Adepts his combat skills were the greatest.

Eoleo smiled at him as the wound sealed up, a quick nod all the thanks Amiti needed. Amiti stood behind Eoleo's back, eyes darting around. Clovos rushed at Amiti then, and Amiti suspected he was under cloak. Amiti gripped Masamune tightly, and slashed at Clovos.

"Summon—Judgement!" Matthew called, and four Djinn vanished in a spark of golden light as they unleashed the summoning. Diamond and Clovos were forced to retreat further.

Takeru, caught up in the excitement, ran straight at the duo, Cloud Brand held high. He unleashed one of his own unique Psynergy—like Himi, many of his were tied to the ancient legends that ran in their blood as descendents of the people who lived beneath Mound Mikage, better known to Felix's old party as Gaia Rock. "Susano!" He shouted, the shadow of a giant sword-wielding warrior appearing over him and striking their foes hard.

This managed to thwart Diamond and Clovos, sending them back into the Tuaparang's fortress.

"Eoleo!" Takeru shouted. "Go find us a zeppelin, would you? We need to get out of here!"

Amiti nodded. "We can hold them off for now!"

Eoleo nodded, rushing away from the fight. Felix was already way ahead of him, helping Sheba walk down the dock to the biggest airship left. Eoleo grinned as he caught up with them.

"Yo, Felix. I see you still got good taste."

Felix smiled, laughing whole-heartedly for once. Eoleo could tell the man still had a weight on his chest, but he was glad that Felix no longer seemed to be depressed. The light had returned to his eyes.

"Eoleo, open the door, would you?"

Eoleo nodded, sliding it open and helping the Warriors up into the ship. He let the two of them get situated while he looked for the control room. It was a really well-built ship, and Eoleo was excited just to be on it. This was going to be fun to fly. He could tell.

The controls weren't too different from those of the ships he was familiar with, so the pirate had little trouble figuring out how to maneuver the airship. He then got it up in the air, and flew low over Matthew's party where they were still busy with the Tuaparang. More soldiers had appeared, Eoleo noted, and he watched from above as Nowell unleashed a Pure Wish to refresh everyone.

"Hey, Felix, throw them down a ramp, would ya?"

Felix nodded, doing so, and the party made haste to get up on it. Matthew, Seth, and Takeru were still occupied with keeping the soldiers off the ship.

"You guys go on ahead," Seth finally said. "I can deal with these guys."

Matthew raised an eyebrow in confusion, but when Seth whipped out his glider Matthew realized his plan. The Venus Adept smiled at his cousin, nodding, and rushed up the ramp along with the others.

Seth unleashed a 'Shine Plasma' to stun the foes and send them back a bit, slashing at them with his sword all the while. Satisfied, Seth retreated, expertly taking to the air with his glider and heading for the stolen airship, leaving his foes far behind.

He landed on the airship, and Felix shut the door behind him quickly as the party finally took to the skies. Seth met his eyes for one brief moment, and was surprised to find them full of pride.

The various members of the party had already set about exploring the airship and figuring out how it worked, and how to fight aboard it. It was different enough from the ship they'd been sailing on to cause some trouble.

However, the first thing Felix did once they were well away from the Tuaparang's fortress was sit down beside Sheba and tell to her the story of the past twenty years, same as he'd told it to the children. The whole while, Sheba's face was still and serene... Though when Felix came to the part in the tale concerning what had happened with Karst, the hurt in her eyes was obvious. Felix couldn't meet her eyes as he spoke of it, either.

Finally, when he was done, they sat in silence. Seth, who'd been leaning against the wall the whole time, looked up to meet Sheba's eyes. She smiled strangely when she looked at him, before turning her gaze to Felix.

"Felix, look at me," Sheba said, turning his face around with a gentle touch. Felix met her eyes, and saw in them nothing unexpected. There was pain, yes. Of course she was hurt. But they were still full of love for him as ever they had been. She smiled for him as brightly as she could manage. "Felix, it's okay. I... I can't say I'd do the same as you did. I can't even say I approve. Truly, I wish you hadn't been with Karst... But all the same, it scares me to think that if it weren't for her you might not be here now. She sheltered you, raised Seth..." Sheba looked at Seth again, then, eyes sad yet full of pride.

Seth smiled at her. He was proud to be her son, though he was only now getting to know her for the first time. Though she was drained and weak from her imprisonment, her strength still managed to shine through. He loved her. He truly did.

"Mom," he said, and her eyes sparkled. He went to her then, and Sheba held him close. For the first time since she'd woken again, tears ran down her pale cheeks.

"Seth," she cried. "Seth, my little boy."

Seth pulled away and smiled awkwardly at his mother. Seth was almost twenty-one, and hadn't been called "little" in years. He was a strong warrior, just like his father. Sheba shook her head, leaning against Felix for support. He held her gently in his arms as she cried. She was so happy, yet so sad. Her hands played with Seth's bangs, and her smile was wistful. "Look at you. All grown up. I wish I could've watched you grow, Seth. Last I saw you, you were just a baby. My baby..." A sob caught in her throat, and Felix clenched his hand tighter around her shoulder.

"Sheba..." he sighed. He didn't know what to say to her.

Seth, however, did. He reached out and took Sheba's hand, and she looked at him once more. Seth smiled, and it was Felix's smile she saw on his face. So strange. "Hey, Mom... Don't cry about that, okay? You and Dad are Warriors of Vale—you might be getting old, but you've hardly aged. If we all survive this..." Seth glanced away, coughing. "Well... You guys can always try again."

Felix and Sheba shared a glance, then Felix smiled a bit awkwardly at her. Things had never been so tense between them before, not even when she was being held prisoner by Saturos. "Yeah. I guess so. If we survive this... We probably could start over. I wouldn't mind a second chance. I really did want to be there for Seth, wanted you to be there..."

Sheba nodded, slowly, looking at Seth. "You... You wouldn't mind, would you? I mean..."

Seth smiled, laughing a little. "Mom, really. Don't worry about it. Do what you want. I'm all set—Karst is the one who raised me, but you're the one I've been missing all my life. If you were to have another kid, I wouldn't be that jealous. All problems aside, I have a great family right now. I just want you guys to be happy again, like you deserved to be."

Sheba shook her head, smiling happily at Seth. Then, Eos walked into the room trailed by Karst. "Brother, they need some help in the control room. Matthew was asking for you."

"Alright," Seth said, reluctantly letting go of Sheba's hand and standing up. He smiled at her one last time before heading down the hall, but Sheba's eyes weren't on him any longer. They were on Karst.

Karst met her piercing gaze for a moment, then looked down. "Hello, Sheba," She said. "It has been a long time."

"Yeah," Sheba said, voice carefully controlled. "It has."

Felix shifted his feet, obviously uncomfortable. "Ah—Karst..."

Karst's eyes flicked to Felix, and he went quiet. "You told her. I know. It would be unlike you to keep anything from her." Her eyes fell to Sheba again, and she forced herself to smile. "I know how much you love her, Felix. I knew from the moment I first saw the two of you together, when our paths crossed in Madra, all that time ago. Gods, I saw you when you came to Prox after losing her. You were a man dead while still living. I know I was foolish to hope you could ever share such a feeling with me. You do not love me, not as you love her."

Felix stared at the floor, unable to look at either of the women. Finally, Sheba spoke up. "Felix told me about Eleon, too, Karst. I'm sorry. I can hear it in your voice, Karst—you're hurt badly, aren't you? I'm not happy about... about you and Felix, but... Dammit!" Sheba swore, voice breaking as she sobbed. Felix started, his arm unconsciously drawing her closer to him. Sheba wiped the tears from her face, trying desperately to regain her composure. "Dammit, Karst... I can't be mad at you, no matter how much I want to be. It's not like you meant for all this to happen. It's just a string of misfortunes that led all of us here."

Karst sighed, trembling as she glanced away. "Indeed."

Felix remained quiet, still unsure what he should say. Sheba took hold of his hand, clenching her fingers around his gently. Finally, a smile came back to his face. It didn't reach his eyes, though, which were sad as he met Karst's gaze.

Before he had a chance to speak, though, Karst shook her head. "No, Felix. It's okay. You don't have to tell me anything, don't have to give me any words of encouragement, false or true. I get it. I won't bother you—just go. Live the life you deserved to be living all this time. I'll be fine. I don't need you. I don't need anyone."

Felix shook his head, speaking anyway. "But you do have someone, Karst. You have Eos. Be strong for her, okay?"

Karst smiled faintly. "True enough. I have Eos, as long as nothing happens to her. The way things are... Who knows? All my loved ones, save her, are out of my reach now. All the more reason to guard her from harm."

Karst went quiet, then turned to go.

Sheba bit her lip, then stood up wearily. "Karst, wait." Karst stopped, but didn't turn around. Sheba looked down, clenching her cloak tight about her thin frame. "Thank you," she whispered, and she truly meant it. Karst had, after all, watched Seth as he grew and kept him safe from harm. Sheba envied her that, true enough, but... All the same, she was grateful.

Karst nodded, once, then was gone.

Felix stood up, putting his arms around Sheba again, and smiled at her. "Come on, Sheba. Let's see if we can find some food. You look like you could use a little. I'll make you something."

Sheba smirked. "I hope you've gotten better at cooking in the last twenty years."

Felix laughed. "I sincerely doubt it."

…

A while ago, in Kalay...

"Isaac, Garet, hurry up with those supplies! Get them into the storeroom!" Piers called down from the deck of his ship.

"On our way, Piers!" Isaac said, grinning up at him.

"Geez, what's in this crate?" Garet complained. "It's heavy!"

"Not sure..." Isaac admitted.

"Aw, come on guys—put your backs into it!" Ivan laughed.

Garet snorted, looking down at him. "Hey, you can't say anything if you aren't helping carry it!"

"Oh, that's right!" Isaac said, letting go of his end. Garet couldn't hold up the rest by himself, and the crate fell on his foot. Several swears followed, then Garet glared at his best friend. "What now, Isaac?"

Isaac grinned sheepishly. "Carry!" He cried, unleashing the Psynergy.

Garet shook his head. "Now he remembers. Great, just great."

"Like you're one to talk, Garet!" Mia said, walking up with Jenna beside her.

Jenna laughed. "Yeah, you're the one who tends to forget things all the time."

Garet crossed his arms. "Fine, then. You ladies can carry your own things, then."

Mia and Jenna held up their packs, Mia smirking a little. "Already taken care of, Garet."

Garet shook his head, walking away while grumbling to himself. "Wonderful, just wonderful."

Jenna frowned. "What's gotten him in a bad mood?"

Isaac sighed, shaking his head. "He's just worried about Tyrell after hearing what Piers had to tell us. You know that boy's all he's got left of Trisha..."

Ivan, Mia, and Jenna all frowned. "Poor guy..." Ivan sighed. "Don't tell him I said so, though."

"I heard that, Ivan!" Garet shouted.

Isaac laughed. "Too bad, Ivan. He heard you."

"Gee, thanks. I never would've guessed." Ivan said, half-smiling.

"Hey, Issac!" Piers called, crossing his arms. "I still need some help up here!"

"Right!" Isaac said, quickly using 'Carry' to bring up the crate. Together, he and Piers made short work of getting it into the ship's storeroom even as Garet re-joined the group on deck.

"I guess that was the last of it, right?" Ivan asked.

Jenna nodded. "Yeah, I think so. We're almost ready to set off."

Mia frowned. "You seem eager to be off, Jenna."

Jenna sighed, nodding. "I guess I am. Piers said that Felix is out there, and I want to see him again... But I can't help but be a bit worried about him. I wonder what we're going to find... How he is..."

Ivan frowned. "It's kind of odd, isn't it? Sometimes I wonder if we Warriors really are cursed."

Mia raised an eyebrow. "How so?"

Ivan shrugged. "Well, when you consider how all of our relationships have turned out over the years."

"I don't know what you mean, Ivan..." Mia said, frowning.

Garet sighed. "Well, I sure do. Think about it—Out of all of them... Well, most of them have ended badly. Felix and Sheba, Issac and Jenna—I mean sure, Isaac and Jenna are still together, but they're separated most of the year because of Issac's work."

Jenna nodded. "And all your relationships have ended badly. I mean, you were seeing Mia for a long time, before you guys had that falling out... And then you married Trisha, only to have her die in childbirth."

Garet frowned, and Jenna immediately regretted bringing up the subject of Garet's late wife.

Mia, too, seemed regretful about the hurt Garet was obviously feeling. She put a hand tentatively on his shoulder and offered him a smile before letting go again. Garet sighed, not looking at her. Mia met Ivan's gaze and smiled a little. "Both you and I are still in wonderful relationships, Ivan."

Ivan laughed. "I don't know about you, Mia... But people have mistaken my wife for my mother."

Garet, beside himself, burst into laughter.

Issac, returning to the deck with Piers, grinned and punched Ivan lightly on the shoulder. "You know that's only because you're still so short, Ivan."

Ivan frowned. It was true, though. He'd always been the shortest guy in the party, and he still was. None of the Warriors had aged properly, of course, but it was particularly noticeable with Ivan. Unlike Garet and Isaac, he hadn't grown any facial hair. He couldn't stand to—he'd tried, but couldn't get used to the scratchy feel of it.

Jenna smirked a little, knowing what Ivan was thinking about by the way he was rubbing his chin with his right hand. "Don't fret, Ivan," she laughed. "You know Anne's happy with you just the way you are."

Ivan smiled, nodding. "Yeah, I know. You're right." He turned to Mia then, all smiles. "So, things are good with you guys, too?"

Mia nodded. Garet frowned. "To each their own, I guess," he said. "You know, I still haven't managed to figure out what you saw in that guy, anyway. I mean, a librarian? Of all things, Mia... Why?"

Mia frowned. "He's nice and quiet... Unlike some people I know."

Garet shook his head, face going red. Finally, he gave up on the conversation all together and went belowdecks to help organize things.

Jenna shook her head. She'd know Garet since childhood, and was therefore concerned that he was acting so unlike himself. Then again, it was common knowledge among the Warriors that he'd been in love with Mia and had been deeply hurt by whatever falling out they'd had. He'd never really gotten over her, though he'd tried... Only to lose Trisha, too, to something he couldn't save her from.

Isaac stared after his friend, sadness in his eyes. He glanced back at Jenna, who met his gaze and nodded. No words were needed. Isaac followed his best friend belowdecks with that, leaving the others to handle the rest of the preparations.

"Ivan! Hey, Ivan!"

Ivan perked up, leaning over the railing of the ship. When he saw his wife Anne running up towards the docks with a pack slung over her shoulder, he grinned bashfully and jumped down off the deck to greet her.

She slid the pack off her shoulder and handed it to Ivan, smiling all too knowingly. "I was worried that I wouldn't catch you. You left some of your items back at the house. I think your age is finally getting to you, Ivan. Better watch yourself."

Ivan grinned boyishly, taking the pack from Anne and slinging it over his own shoulder. Then he wrapped his arms around her neck and kissed her passionately. When he pulled away, he truly looked sad. "Take care, Anne. I'll be home soon, probably with Karis by my side."

Anne smiled sadly. "I know, Ivan. You've never let me down before. I trust you not to die on me this time."

Ivan chuckled nervously. "Thanks, dear, that's very reassuring."

On deck, Jenna couldn't help but laugh. It was true enough, what Ivan said. He and Anne were very happy... But all the same, they hardly looked like lovers. Anne had grown to stand a little taller than Ivan since they'd met, and at forty her hair was starting to turn gray. Meanwhile, Ivan still looked to be in his early twenties. Jenna didn't want to think about their future. Truly, Jenna didn't want to think about the future at all. It was scary, and it was sad.

Piers saw the look on Jenna's face, and his heart went out to her. His stupid heart. Piers sighed, and walked up to her, carefully placing a hand on her shoulder. Jenna blinked in surprise and turned to face the mariner. Piers smiled. "Come, Jenna. It's just about time to set off. Let's not worry about what has happened or what will happen—let's worry about what's happening at the present. The children need our help. Let us go to them. We cannot dwell on what might be, what could've been."

"We all knew what we were doing the moment we raised our swords," Isaac said, coming up behind the others. "I'm sure our children feel the same way. Piers is right, Jenna. It's time for us to move on."

Jenna nodded, walking away to stand at the bow of the ship, by the masthead as Piers called out the last orders and the ship pulled out from the dock, where Anne stood waving until the ship passed out of sight.

As Piers called the order to take to the air with 'Hover' and Ivan filled the sails with all the wind he could summon... Only then, when Jenna was sure no one was looking did she wipe away the water that was pooling in her eyes.

…

In the control room of the stolen Tuaparang airship, Seth and Amiti were doing all they could to help Eoleo find a bearing.

"Reveal," Seth muttered, a glow surrounding him yet again.

"Insight," Amiti said, boredly. Both of them had tried time and time again, to no avail. There was no trail through the sky to follow to their destination.

Tyrell was even more dangerously bored than the King of Ayuthay. He was using a feather to tickle Sveta's nose.

Sveta growled in annoyance. "Cut it out."

Tyrell grinned, laughing a little. "Here, kitty kitty-dog... That's it, come on, get angry!"

Matthew frowned, eyes heated. He punched Tyrell in the shoulder. "Quit calling her like she's an animal. Sveta's a human being, too, you know!"

The rest of the room went deathly quiet. Finally, Tyrell snickered. "Okay, okay. I get it. No more teasing your girlfriend."

Both Matthew and Sveta went bright red in the face. "Sh—shut up!" Matthew said.

Eoleo shook his head. "Man, what is it with Venus and Jupiter Adepts, anyway? First Felix and Sheba, now Matthew and Sveta... Must be some kind of chemistry there."

"Opposites attracting?" Amiti suggested.

Sveta smirked. "Which has nothing to do with Mercury and Jupiter."

Amiti blushed brightly. "Um... I don't know."

Eoleo laughed. "Alchemy works in mysterious ways? Come on, kids—I was just teasing a little. How are Felix and Sheba, anyway?"

Seth smiled. "Out cold, I'd assume. They ate breakfast and went straight to bed. I'm sure they must both be exhausted after all they've been through."

Nowell popped her head into the room at that moment. "Hey, everyone. Got a bearing yet?"

"No," Amiti and Seth said, in the same exasperated tone.

"Oh. Sorry to hear that," She shut the door behind her as she sat down by the window. "Nice view, though, isn't it?"

Seth nodded. "Yeah."

"Come on, guys..." Eoleo sighed. "Give it one more try?"

"I don't think it's doing any good..." Amiti sighed. "...It's not Insight or Reveal we need. Isn't that what Alex implied?"

Nowell frowned. "Are you going to trust him?"

Amiti hesitated, then shook his head. "No. I don't... Not really."

Sveta stood up. "When in doubt, try it all together?"

The others shared a glance, then nodded. "It's worth a try, anyway," Tyrell said.

The group joined hands, all of them using their Psynergies together. There was silence for a while, save the metallic whirring of the engines and the hum of Psynergy only audiable to an Adept's ears. Finally, Amiti looked up and met Eoleo's eyes. "South, southwest. That's the direction. Seth, keep a lookout with 'Reveal' until we find something."

Seth nodded, and the group split up.

As Seth headed for the lookout tower, he passed by the door to the bunk that Felix and Sheba had vanished into. Seth paused outside it, smiling, before heading on.

"Get ready, Mom—we're headed home."

…

**Author: **It amuses me that, quite often, I get people making comments in reviews that end up fixed in the next chapter anyway. Like the fight that appears at the start of this one. I wrote the last chapter the way I wanted it, both beginning and ending with Felix and Sheba.

Aw, I feel bad for them in this, though. Dunno if I feel worse for Sheba or Karst, though... Or Felix, caught in the middle. Oh, well. So, I hope the awkward was written well enough. I would hate to be involved in that kind of a situation.

As for the scene in Kalay... To avoid possible confusion, that is not put in there chronologically. That scene would've happened some time ago, because all the people are gonna wind up together eventually. I just had to have the scene, though. Some of those issues really need backstory time, though. I may or may not get to it... I kinda feel bad for all the Warriors, actually. (Hope people liked the little shipping moments in this chapter. There were a few of them.)

Anyway, see you next chapter! I have big plans for the Anemos in it. Ha ha ha. Expect to feel very annoyed with them very shortly.

Also... This story may end up going on another hiatus before the end, but I will be back to finish it. You can expect at least one or two more chapters from me before I go on vacation.

See you then!

**Smasher. The-Keyblade-Bearer: **Um... To clarify that, it wasn't the vortex at all. The Tuaparang had an airship in the area, and caught her as she fell. Though, obviously they've been working with the vortexes and have tech that can avoid them. They're using the phenomenon to their advantage, but aren't controlling it, per se. And yeah, Sheba's drained. But she'll be better next chapter!**  
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**MixItUp: **Cool. :) Can't wait to see how you like the rest of this. It's heading for an end, now.**  
**

**JamesK716: **Good to hear. :)**  
**

**jollygreendragon: **Hope this chapter's up to par. And you're right... I like having my characters earn their happy ending, if you will, so there's bound to be some sadness in my works... But I don't like bummer endings. As for Eos and Seth... Ew. No, I was not intending to ship them. A friend of mine pointed out that there were some things in a few chapters that aimed that way, though, so I tried to kill it with Nowell in that one chapter. Oh, well. To each their own, I guess. I mean, heck, people ship weirdly in this fandom anyway. (Roofshipping, anyone? Ick.)**  
**

**Heckenschutze: **Yep, Alex hit it on the mark. Can't beat the bad guys if you're too busy beating up each other. (This was half the point of TLA, too.) Also, sorry to disappoint you last chapter... The fight was meant to be in this one from the start, though. I'm evil like that, getting you all ready for the fight and then ending a chapter. Actually, that reminds me of Alex, too.**  
**

**Supaku: **Ha ha. First of all, I guess I'm in the same category of weird as you... And I even threw Karst in to make it more awkward. Ha ha. Also, the dream isn't going to be clarified all that much, but suffice to say that Veriti did have the sort of power Isaac mentioned, and Amiti did inherit it from her... And the dream was a past event, somewhat foreshadowing a future one. Which will happen soon. As for rushing things... Heh, okay. I know. I swear, there's one story that has five chapter up, just killed off one of the main characters at the end of the fifth one in a crazy and unexpected plot twist... and has been on hiatus for more than a year. Argh. No, I'm not quite _that_ evil. I warn people when I'm about to go on hiatus and I give a window of when I'll be back to write more. I hate it when people vanish off the face of the planet. Thanks for your review!


	29. Fallen

_Chapter Twenty-Nine: Fallen_

A couple days later, having seen no confirmation that their heading had been right, the Adepts were stunned when Seth came back from scouting out their direction with news. "It's there. Dead ahead—a giant, floating land mass, invisible to the naked eye."

"A false moon..." Amiti said.

"The Anemos..." Sheba sighed, gazing out the window. In the past two days, she'd managed to gain much of her strength back thanks to Felix's care. It came as no surprise to the party that Karst had vanished to the lower sections of the airship, avoiding the Warriors as much as possible. However much she tried to hide it, it was quite obvious that she wasn't too thrilled about Sheba's return.

Felix appeared behind her, putting a hand on her shoulder as they drifted towards the distortion that was becoming more and more apparent by the minute. Sheba smiled a little as she looked over her shoulder to face him.

Felix smiled at her. "It'll be okay, Sheba. I'm sure they'll be glad to see that you're alive even after all this time..."

Sheba leaned her head against his neck. "Not half as glad as you were, I'm sure."

Felix chuckled. "I don't know... Maybe."

Eoleo frowned, checking the instruments as they passed through the barrier that hid the floating city form view. "You know, if they went through all this trouble to hide themselves, what if they don't want to be found?"

Seth frowned. "We won't know until we get there, will we?"

However, as Eoleo landed the airship before a gathering crowd of stunned onlookers, it seemed increasingly obvious that the Anemos were not too thrilled about this development. As Felix opened the ramp and the party made their way down, the crowd was filled with nervous mutterings. A regally dressed elderly man made his way through the crowd, an angered look on his face.  
"Who are you? What is the meaning of this?"

The party shared a nervous glance, and Tyrell stepped forward with an awkward grin. "Hey, don't worry. We're just stopping by."

Sveta shook her head. "That's right. Are you the elder of this place? Where are your leaders?"

"We don't have to tell you anything," the man said. "It'd be best if you left now and did not return."

"I think not," Sheba said, stepping down from inside the airship. Her eyes were intense.

The man stood straight, looking at her in confusion. "Excuse me?"

Sheba frowned, putting her foot down in her usual manner. "We came here for a reason, you know. I thought the Anemos would be at least curious about a girl who fell from the sky as a baby... I'm pretty sure that I'm one of you."

"Fell from..." the man's eyes widened. "Impossible!"

The crowd was silent in shock. Finally, another voice spoke up, crisp and clear. "Uncle, we could at least give her a chance, could we not? Let's hear her story."

The elder frowned, turning to face the man who'd pushed his way through the crowd. Matthew's party stared at him in stunned disbelief as well, but for entirely different reasons.

"Now is no time for nonsense, Alan. There is no way possible she could be the one... She is far too young."

Sheba frowned. "I'm forty-four."

Alan cocked his head at his uncle as if to say, "I told you so."

What made it so creepy to Felix was that it was the same gesture Sheba so often made... And that Alan's face was much like hers, from his cropped blonde hair to his fierce violet eyes. "Uncle, why don't you give her a hearing with the Elders? I'm sure they'll be interested, at the least."

Sheba stepped forward towards them, hesitant, but all Alan did was smile. "Uncle, how else could they have known of the child that fell? Look at her. It _has _to be her."

The elder set his jaw, looking back and forth between them. Finally, he sighed and gestured for the party to follow him. "Very well. Come with me. But I cannot guarantee the others will be pleased."

Alan frowned. "In that case, I will take full blame for letting them set foot here."

So, hesitantly, the party began to follow the two men towards a very regal looking building that sat in the shadow of a great, tall tower reaching towards the heavens. It was the top of this tower where their eyes were drawn, to the statue of the slender archer with a bow aimed outwards towards a distant target.

"Artemis..." Amiti breathed, and the others knew it was true. Apollo's Lens had been a golden cannon... His sister Artemis wielded a silver arrow.

As the group passed through the crowd, the expressions on their faces did not escape the Adepts. Eoleo leaned towards Felix, whispering, "Man, is it just me or do these guys look like their turning their noses down at us?"

Felix frowned, then nodded. "No, it's true. They definitely seem to be looking down at us."

Sheba reached out and took hold of Felix's hand. He could feel her trembling. Gently, he squeezed back, hoping to comfort her. Sheba did smile, then, but it was Alan her eyes were set on.

"Go," Felix told her, softly. "Ask him."

Sheba nodded, and let go of Felix's hand to meet up with the tall blonde man walking ahead of the party. "Alan..." She called, and he hesitated. "Alan, tell me... Why did you... What..." Sheba could not find the right words, but it didn't matter. Alan stopped and stood still, clasping Sheba's shoulder for a moment, eyes gazing into hers.

"Do you really want to know, Sheba? I'll tell you why. Because the baby that fell from this city forty-four years ago, supposedly to her death..." Alan shook his head, letting go of Sheba's shoulder. "I know she is you."

"You read my mind just now," Sheba said, a touch of anger in her voice.

Alan's eyes were dark. "Yes. Yes, I did. I... I cannot speak for the others, but I envy you not. They are not going to be pleased to hear what you have to say, Sheba. But hear you they will. It is the least they can do, for the fallen child."

Sheba did not like the sound of that, but regardless, Alan was already walking away again to catch up with his uncle. They were only a staircase away from the building, now, and Sheba was suddenly filled with dread. Her parents were among the elders. She guessed as much. Her whole life, meeting them had been one of her dreams. Yet... Alan's words scared her, scared her more than any foe she'd ever faced. What if they didn't want her?

Sheba felt an arm wrap gently around her shoulders, and almost cried from the warm relief she felt course through her. Felix was there for her, Felix would always be there for her, even if her parents didn't want her. He was the ground beneath her feet, forever supporting her.

He would never let her fall. Gods, she knew he wouldn't.

"It'll be okay, Sheba. Let's go."

"Thank you," Sheba sighed, pulling away ever so reluctantly. She led the way up the stairs to the grand hall. It was so surreal, everything that was happening. Twenty years had passed in little more than the blink of an eye, her memories of those dark days but dream-like flashes of consciousness. It seemed to her that little time had passed... She'd lost so much time.

And now, so soon, she was here. On her way to the truth she'd sought so long.

She could not allow herself to be afraid any longer.

Alan held open the grand doors for the party, closing them silently behind them once the last man entered. Seth nodded at Alan, who smiled carefully back. "Thanks," Seth said.

"You won't be thanking me for long, Seth. But I thank you for your words," Alan said, glancing at the party. He called out to them. "My uncle has gone on ahead to give word to the rest of the Elders. Seeing as how you from the lands below know nothing of our ways... Allow me to clarify this. The Elders are those with the highest honor, their bloodlines tracing back to the days before the Ascent. Their children become the next Elders, and so on. It has been so as long as we have been here. As a child of this bloodline, I will become an Elder when I reach fifty. My older sisters will join their ranks before I shall... Save one, my eldest sister. She died before her naming day..." Alan's eyes fell on Sheba for a moment, then he smiled. "Or so they say."

Sheba stood perfectly still, unable to speak or move. She'd known as much, known it since she set eyes on Alan, yet... It was still utterly unbelievable. "So, you're my... I have a..."

Before she could finish her sentence, Alan's uncle returned to the room, an unreadable expression on his face. "The Elders will see you. Speak no lies to them, for they shall know."

"Mind Read?" Seth asked, quietly.

Alan nodded. "All the Elders have it."

"Figures," Seth sighed. "It's okay, though. We have nothing to hide from them."

Alan frowned, but said nothing. The group lined up in front of the Elders—there were seven of them, once Alan's uncle returned to his seat—and Sheba stepped forward, seeking their faces for any clues. "My name is Sheba," she said, when it became obvious that they were waiting for her to speak. "I was found after falling from the sky when I was a baby, and raised by Faran and his wife in Lalivero. Over the years, I was treated as a special gift, a holy child. I have powers uncommon among the people of Weyard, and for these I was singled out. You may have felt the return of Alchemy, an event that happened thirty years ago. I was among the group that brought about that occurrence, along with my many friends. But... But the world is not safe yet. It is being hurt by this power. Only..."

One of the Elders raised a hand, silencing her. "Child, speak no more. We know what you request."

A woman nodded her agreement. "Artemis's Tower is sealed. It shall not be opened, not even with Alchemy restored and Apollo ignited."

"We left Weyard to hold on to our Alchemy. This has allowed us to keep our order as it is all this time. We shall not let this change."

"To light Artemis will end our world as we know it. We shall not allow our city to be destroyed. The power that would light Artemis is the same power we used to make the Ascent."

"If Artemis is lit, the city will fall."

"We shall likely die. Would you really wish such a fate on us?"

"What reason have we to aid the land below? We are not affected here."

As each elder spoke, Sheba's face grew darker and darker. So be it. "What reason, you ask?" Sheba's eyes were intense. "Can you not pity them? Do you not care for the people of Weyard, for the earth?"

The Elder's faces were stern. "Why should we? They are below us. They sealed away Alchemy, they fell to ignorance and rotted in their own filth. They turned away from the light. Why should we care about such lowly people? They do not deserve to exist."

And that was the final straw. Alan saw it, saw the lightning sparking in Sheba's eyes, and he winced. Sheba clenched her hands into fists, put her foot down harshly. "Do not deserve to...? What? How dare you! How dare you! I cannot believe... No! You call them ignorant, but it is you who are ignorant! Weyard is beautiful, not full of filth. The people of Weyard aspire to great things, even if they lived in the most dreary of places. I should know. I traveled all over the world in my day, seeking to light the Elemental Lighthouses. How dare you call them lowly? They have more honor than you! I should know! Would you say my son has no right to exist?" Sheba shouted, pointing at Seth. The Elders all stared at her, shocked. "Would you? Just because his father is not one of you? Felix would follow me to the ends of the earth, damn you! I should know! He already has!"

Felix stepped forward, silencing Sheba by clasping her arm. The Elders were silent, stunned. When they still said nothing, Sheba bit her lip, shaking her head as she fought back tears. She refused to cry in front of these people, whether in anger, frustration, or sorrow.

"Alan, escort them out. Now," his uncle said bluntly. "We will converse without your presence."

Alan nodded, opening the door. With nothing else to do, Matthew and friends followed Alan out of the meeting chambers and down the hall.

Alan sighed. "I am sorry, Sheba. Truly, I am. I am... I have never seen quite eye to eye with the Elders. I have never quite fit in. My thoughts stray often to the land below, truly. I wondered often about my sister's fate. Most of the Anemos care not for the people below us, the lands below. They do not want their life to change. It is their greatest fear."

Felix smiled. "Sounds a lot like Lemuria, before the Golden Sun."

Sheba laughed. "And you, Alan, sound much like our good friend Piers."

Alan smiled at them. "I can't promise you anything much... But no matter what the Elders say, I will allow you and your friends to stay in my quarters. I have room to spare."

He led them into a wing of the building farther from the rest. "Please, stay out of the other parts of this complex, though. The other wings belong to my sisters, Alaia and Avara, so you should keep to this one. It would be hard to explain your presence. Please, though... Make yourselves at home here."

"Thank you, Alan," Sheba said, smiling at him.

"You're welcome, Sheba. I will do what I can to keep the others off your case while you are here... Perhaps there can be a way to talk to them."

"I hope so," Matthew said. "Our concerns are more than you'd think."

Alan frowned, then set a hand on Matthew's shoulder, closing his eyes. When he opened them again, nodding, his expression was troubled. "I see. That is worrisome. I hope these...Tuaparang, these Dark Adepts did not follow you. It could be a problem. I will see what I can do. Farewell, Matthew of Weyard. I shall see you soon."

And with that, the party was left alone in Alan's quarters, at a standstill. They did not know what they were to do, except to trust in Alan to find a way to earn them another chance.

That night, Sheba stared out the window in the bedchambers she and Felix had chosen, up at the silver moon that cast a dark silhouette on the tower. Here, at last, they stood so close to the final step of this quest. Soon, it would be over. Soon, life could go on. Yet, for his moment, time stood still in the night, in the quiet, under the moon and stars.

Felix came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist, and she leaned back into his embrace. Her head fell below his chin, and she gazed up into his deep, dark eyes. "Do you think Alan will be able to convince them?"

Felix shook his head, kissing her neck. "I doubt it. But when have we ever let that sort of thing stop us? We will activate the tower, one way or another. The moment the Tower's seal is broken... This will come to an end."

Sheba put a hand on his face, shaking her head. "Perhaps... But it will only mark the dawn of something greater. The true return of the lost age of man."

Before Felix could say anything, Sheba pressed her lips to his, tangling her hands in his hair, the knot of his ponytail coming undone and falling to the floor between their feet. After a moment, Felix caught her hands and held her still. "Sheba..." He muttered. "Tell me... Do you have any regrets for what we've done? For what's still happening because of us? For what we are?"

Sheba pressed her face against his chest, clutching his nightshirt tightly in her hands. "Do I regret...? The answer is no, not truly. I regret nothing that we did, love. I do not regret the decisions we made on that journey, nor any repercussions of it. If we never grow another day older... I would not feel regret. I would be sad, if I would have to watch children younger than me grow old and die, but sorrow is not the same as regret. No, Felix. I have no regrets. None at all. We did what we had to, no choice we ever made was the wrong one at the time."

Sheba let go of him, pulling back so he could see into her eyes, see that she was telling him the truth. "Stop tormenting yourself, Felix. None of this is your fault. Do you hear me? None of it. You always were too quick to shoulder the burdens of the world, take things in your own hands. It's time to let go, Felix. Let the next generation take on the burden."

Felix smiled as he shook his head. "All right, Sheba. I know. Tomorrow is their day, not ours. Even if we're still around to see it, it's not our place. But there is one thing left for us to face, one person who is still ours to deal with."

Sheba frowned. "That's right. Alex. Fair enough—Alex is still our problem, the foe the Warriors shall deal with. But, Felix..." Sheba sighed, tracing a hand down his neck.

Felix smiled, pulling Sheba tight against him. "Yes, Sheba?"

She met his eyes. "Don't worry about that tonight."

"Fair enough..." Felix sighed, picking Sheba up off the floor, an easy smile on his face. Sheba remembered that smile. "No worries, not until tomorrow."

As Felix gently sat her on the bed, kissing her deeply, she knew tomorrow would come all too quickly and all too slowly all at once.

But for one endless moment, all was well.

…

**Author: **And, regrettably, this is going to be the last chapter for a while. I'm going on a temporary hiatus due to varied reasons... but I will be back once I'm able to. So, until then, I hope this is an adequate pause.

I mean, I probably _could_ get _one_ more chapter out... But I think it'd be more evil to end with a cliffhanger there than here, seeing as the next chapter will be the start of a multi-chapter battle sequence. That's right, the ending is coming up. And man, trust me... It wouldn't be nice of me to leave you hanging there.

On this chapter... Well, there's a lot of little references and stuff, as usual. I wanted Tyrell to say "we come in peace," but that'd be a bit too weird. So I had him say something else. The Anemos are kinda like... I dunno... A typical isolated society. The Lemurians taken up to ten. Whatever. I really don't like them, myself... Though Alan kind of acts as their redeeming grace.

Concerning Alan... Sheba having siblings among the Anemos has long been an idea I've had, but I just so happened to be watching "The Vision of Escaflowne" over the past few weeks. I'm not totally done with it yet, and it isn't really my favorite series ever... But as I was writing this, somehow I couldn't picture Sheba's brother without seeing Allen Schezar's face. So, having struggled to name him prior to this chapter... His name became Alan, a call out to Escaflowne's Allen. I think it fits. He's also the final OC you're gonna see in this. And his role isn't that huge.

So, enjoy the Lighthouseshipping... And see you next time.

**jollygreendragon: **Ha ha. I should've had her do that. Oh, well... She is supposed to be a monarch, after all. Can't go decking people just because they're being annoying. And about the fight... Yeah. On one level, thanks, because I did sort of do that on purpose. I meant to invoke a game-like feel to that. On another... I was sort of saving time by not getting to detailed. So I apologize. The upcoming battle is going to be detailed... So detailed, I kind of feel intimidated to get into it. But I'll take my time with it, and I'm sure the wait will be worth it. On Sheba... To clarify that, she's basically been in a coma/trance like state, and so to her mind, it's barely been any time at all. Which is traumatizing in it's own right. And Karst most definitely has a grudge, she's just trying her very hardest to be respectful of Felix and Sheba. Thanks for your review, and I hope to hear from you again when I return!**  
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**Smasher. The-Keyblade-Bearer: **Hope you're feeling better now. Keyblade be with you and all that. :)**  
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**Heckenschutze: **Lol, thank you. I'm glad, even with the semi-cheesy hand-holding thing, it was a solid update. I don't like writing cheesy/cliche myself, but I couldn't think of anything else at that point. (I was half-asleep when I wrote it. I have no energy...) So thanks! Hope you enjoy this update, and hope to see you next time! **  
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**Supaku: **:) Actually, yes... Seth's suggestion was meant to be funny. I mean, how is that _not_ funny? I had to put a bit of humor in such a heavy, awkward part. Man. That was pretty tough. I seriously feel so bad for them. Sorry that you have to wait to see Jenna's reaction... But it's gonna be great, trust me. And... Glad you like the scene back with the Warriors. I thought you'd laugh at Ivan's comment. (Hence, the whole "still the shortest" choice. So funny, lol. Though, Ivan turning out more buff than Felix would be laughable, too... I just liked this one better for this fic. Feels more real.) It does make sense for the Warriors to marry people younger than them, though. And... No Soulship this chapter, but plenty of Lighthouse. (I mean really... I had to tone it down at the end, there. It was, in the last draft before this one, pretty intense. Hope you like it.^^ ) So, see you next time. I probably won't be able to review your story while I'm on hiatus, either. :( But I will be back.**  
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	30. The End of All Things Begins

_Chapter Thirty: The End of All Things Begins_

It was dawn the next morning, an age of darkness later, when Amiti awakened. He gazed out the window over the city and beyond, to where the clouds roiled below like waves out at sea. He tried to close his eyes and return to the peace of sleep, but found himself restless and unable to settle. Finally, the King of Ayuthay gave up and left the room silently, wandering the halls of the castle.

Amiti found himself drawn upwards, and before he knew it he had climbed to the tower at the end of the wing Alan had left them to. Amiti walked out onto the parapets, looking toward the east where the sun was rising over the clouds. It looked so peaceful, and yet...

And yet, to his sorrow, Amiti knew in his heart that this peace would not last. How long it was until their enemies caught up with them, he didn't know. A week, a day, an hour... There was no way to be sure. But it would happen.

"Undoubtedly," Alan said, startling Amiti with his sudden presence on the balcony behind him. Amiti turned to meet his eyes, and Alan smiled in apology. "I didn't mean to startle you, Amiti. I forget that you from below are not used to people like me."

Amiti smiled, and the smile lit up in his eyes. "It's alright, Alan. It isn't your fault. Besides," Amiti added, "I've often startled others without meaning to in the past myself."

Alan laughed, nodding. A moment later, his face became more contemplative. "I sense your thoughts pooling, but I do not wish to intrude on them without permission."

Amiti blinked slowly, realizing it was true. His thoughts still often wound up returning to the same place, time and time again. "Alan, you do not know much about how people in our lands are. Quite honestly, I am rather naïve on that subject myself. Until but recently, I remained protected by the walls around my dear Ayuthay, a kingdom I seldom left. Why, even when I did visit places like Passaj, it was always with an escort. I knew nothing before setting out on this journey with Matthew and the others. Truly, some small part of me still wishes to return to that ignorance I once knew. I had less to worry me."

Alan nodded. "And yet, you are also glad to have seen the light. I think I understand."

Amiti smiled sadly. "Yes, I am glad. I am glad to have seen the light, and also the darkness. The world is not all black and white as I once thought, and... Terrible things can happen. I have seen terrible things, Alan, things I know you can't begin to imagine." Alan's face darkened, and Amiti wondered if the man were indeed so curious as to search Amiti's mind for the knowledge he lacked. Amiti truly did not mind. He no longer had anything to hide. "I-I have seen p-people die, Alan," Amiti stammered. He cursed himself for it, too. A king should not show such a lack of confidence. It was something a child would do, not a man grown.

Alan's face was sympathetic, though, and he nodded solemnly. "The Eclipse was indeed a tragic occurrence, and the Mourning Moon as well. Indeed, it would be all the more terrible to let it be for nothing. We must convince the Elders to end this, once and for all. Artemis Tower must shine once more, the power of Alchemy must be tamed."

"Even if it means that life as you know it shall end?" Amiti asked, worried. "Didn't the Elders say it would destroy this place?"

Alan shook his head. "Yes, they did. And yes, it is a risk. But it is a risk that must be taken. Did the Warriors of Vale let the risk of destroying the world stop them from trying to save it? No. Why should we? If we do not at least try, then we are cowards."

Amiti smiled, laughing a little. "You, at least, are not one," he said.

Alan smiled in gratitude, glancing up towards the great tower. When the smile abruptly vanished from his face, Amiti followed his gaze.

Time had run out.

…

Amiti and Alan did not even need to awaken the rest of the warriors. The moment that the giant airship appeared in the sky over Artemis Tower and began to send out blasts of dark energy, the entire floating landmass shook from the impact. All the lights on all the buildings came on, lighting the clouds with their ethereal glow. There were no sirens, but it seemed the Anemos had no need for them. Every last man, woman, and child knew of the danger the moment it occurred.

It was amazing how in tune with their city the Anemos were.

Of all the group gathered there, Sheba and Seth appeared the most troubled. Karis shared a glance with them in worry, and Seth smiled wanly back at her. "It's sickening," he said.

"How do you mean?" Karis asked.

Seth shrugged, and Sheba answered for him. "It is like being at sea during a storm, only a hundred times stronger."

Seth nodded. "It is not entirely unlike the feeling I've had all my life," he said, "Only... Only before, it was never so strong, so terrible. It's like... Like part of me is hurting, even though I'm fine."

Alan nodded solemnly. "This is why the Elders fear to activate the tower. Artemis Tower is the key to our existence as we know it. If it is lit, then all the power that is holding us here will be sent out into the lands below instead. It will bring an end to the Mourning Moon, I am sure..."

"But it will likely bring an end to you as well," Felix said, quietly.

The silence that followed his words was sorrowful. Every one of them had known from the start of their quest that it would not be easy. None of them had thought they'd have to risk sacrificing innocent lives in the process.

It was Sheba who broke the silence. "We must hurry to the tower, Alan. If nothing else, we must stop the Tuaparang from breaking the seal there."

Alan nodded. "Go, then, sister. I will speak with the Elders and do what I can to hold them off. It is up to you—I leave our fate in your hands."

And with those words and a swish of his white cape, Alan vanished around the corner as the warriors ran forward towards Artemis Tower.

No sooner had they started up the stairs that wound around it's exterior than did they have to duck and dodge for cover from the blasts sent their way by the zeppelin. Felix stared up at in in shock. "What, have they sent the whole armada? That's got to be the Empyror's airship..."

Sheba urged him onward with a feather-light touch to his arm, and on they went, and upwards.

"Not so fast, you there!" The voice stopped the party dead in their tracks, and they turned to face Diamond. Her eyes were icy with anger, the opposite of Clovos. His red eyes burned with hatred.

Felix moved to stand in front of Sheba. "Stand back, all of you. We won't let you pass!"

The children readied their weapons, hopeful that their footing would be sure. It was a long fall to the ground. Diamond rushed at them in a blinding flash of blue-white, and Clovos vanished into darkness. Matthew swore, then pulled up his Sol Blade at the last second, eyes gleaming as he tried to catch sight of their enemies. He heard a hiss, and smirked as he knew he'd hit something, anyway.

Then he winced in pain, doubling over as he realized he'd been wounded as well. A thin cut across his right shoulder, but he cursed himself for allowing an injury so shortly after the battle had begun. At this rate, he wouldn't last.

He felt the tingling sensation of a healing Psynergy, and turned to see Amiti's kind smile as his friend took up a place guarding Matthew's back. Matthew smiled as well. True enough, as long as they stood together no one, not even the Tuaparang, could hope to end them here.

But it was a tough battle, regardless. The glow of Psynergy surrounded everyone in the group, but no matter how hard they tried, they seldom found their attacks landing on their enemies. Diamond was just too fast, faster than ever, and Clovos flickered in and out of view. Only Amiti could hit him consistently, but he was careful not to forget that he could not take such risks lightly.

"They're trying to chip away at our strength here and now, and get ahead of us to light the tower," Felix said. "We can't let them win this! We have to keep going up!"

The others nodded, but it was easier said than done. The way was growing ever more treacherous as the blasts actually took out sections of the stairwell. Finally, they crossed the threshold of the final stair and stood before a large, ornate door surrounded by glowing lights. It was engraved with the lithe and dainty form of the goddess Artemis. Despite the electric glow surrounding the rest of the tower, it still managed to look like a relic from a forgotten age.

It was a shame that the golden surface was being marred by the attacks, but the party really had no time to worry about their surroundings beyond the realization that Diamond and Clovos were forcing them towards the door. They were trapped.

Diamond paused long enough for every member of the group to catch sight of her grin, and they shuddered almost in unison. It wasn't going to end this way. It just wasn't.

There was a flash of blue, and Diamond's cruel smirk vanished as she turned to face the one who had attacked her. He landed lithely at the edge of the stairs, managing to look cool and collected as ever despite the chaos about him. Hell, if anything, the chaos only made him appear more calm.

Felix found his grip tightening around his sword as he and Sheba moved to stand between Alex and the rest. "I figured you'd get here soon," Felix said.

Alex shot him a cold smirk. "What's this, you're going to fight me? Do you really think you're strong enough? I shall be the one to activate that tower, Felix. You might as well stand down now. I'd rather not fight a former ally."

"I was never your ally by choice!" Felix shouted, and Alex's smirk vanished.

"As you say," Alex said. "Then I guess I have no choice."

Felix barely managed to counter Alex's attack in time. The man was strong, far _too_ strong in fact, but it was too late to back down now.

The three way fight was on.

…

**Author: **Good news, I'm back from my adventuring. It was fun, and I have a rough draft of an original story completed. Yay! It's good, but needs a lot of polishing.

Still, I'm glad to be back to this story, too. It needs completed.

The bad news is, I haven't totally finished writing the three-chapter battle sequence, and it has also now become a four-chapter battle sequence. (Or is that a good thing?) Oh, well. I wanted to put this chapter up, anyway. The rest will follow shortly.

Well, everyone, this is it. The beginning of the end. Thanks to everyone who's stuck with me all this time, your support means a lot!

Without further adieu, to the reviews!

**Heckenschutze: **Thanks for the review. I did mention it, but in a kind of off-handed way, so it's understandable that you missed it.**  
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**Smasher. The-Keyblade-Bearer: **Thank you, and hope the ending makes it worth the wait!**  
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**MixItUp: **Thank you, and I hope you can bear with me through a few chapters of action-there's still going to be other stuff on the side even during the last fight, though. Hope you enjoy:)**  
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**Mystics Apprentice: **Thanks for all the really good, really long reviews! I'm sorry that I can't address everything you said, but I'll try to be as through as possible... I'm sorry about all the summarizing and stuff, it is my weakest point as a writer. I will do my best to avoid it as I go on. As for character, I'm glad you think I have it down. I know I focus a lot on Amiti in this, and I have to agree with the fact that he needs to behave like a proper king. Serves as a good foil to Alex, I guess. :) Chapter 24 is my favorite, I'll admit. I love that chapter. Does that make me sadistic? Lol. Poor Felix. Anyway, yeah, Duskshipping is Felix/Karst... And I'm glad it worked out all right in this. It's kind of hard to write something so complicated as that. Also, I'm glad you like some of my one-liners and that you thought the Tolbi scene was written well. I was sort of worried about including that. It needed some humor, though. :) Sorry about the rocky-ness of the plot, I do plan to clean it up once this is completed. (Completed is seldom 100 percent, after all. This story still needs a lot of work...) I'll try to address the issues you pointed out, though. Thanks again!**  
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**Dark Dragen: **Thank you, and I, too, am positive that there will be a follow up. Otherwise, Nintendo and Camelot are evil.**  
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**Avatar of Wurms: **Yeah, I know. They should've had more of the Warriors in it, and they had better include the ones left out in the next one! I'd say Eos is mage-style, but like Amiti and Karis can equip swords and stuff like that. So, not really a pure mage. Glad you liked it so far! Thanks for the reviews.**  
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	31. Dark Salvation

_Chapter Thirty-One: Dark Salvation_

The entire party knew they were in trouble. Pinned against the doors to the tower, they had no where to go to avoid their attackers—and everyone's aim was to enter the hallowed halls of Artemis Tower. Diamond and Clovos shared a glance, then went separate ways as they tried to split up the group they were fighting. Diamond disappeared in a burst of speed, and it was only when a red stain blossomed across Eos's leg that they knew her target. Karis was by her side in a heartbeat, lashing out with her sword. Eos smiled slightly in gratitude as Karis healed her wound.

Diamond appeared out of nowhere behind Karis, who barely had time to turn around, wide-eyed in fear before Diamond's sword was slicing down through the air toward her throat.

For one terrible moment, Karis had been certain that her life was over.

Before she even had time to flinch, however, Amiti was there, blocking Diamond's blow with his Masamune. Their eyes met for one moment, and Karis saw reflected in his eyes the same fear that she knew must be in her own... But it wasn't his own life he feared for. It was hers.

Diamond took advantage of Amiti's distraction to pull back and swing her sword sideways. Amiti slipped backwards, still between Diamond and Karis, but didn't slip back quite far enough. He winced as her blade grazed the side of his face and blood started to trickle down his cheek.

Felix and Sheba were still busy holding Alex away from the doors to the tower. Felix didn't miss the flare of anger in Alex's eyes when Diamond cut Amiti.

Felix grimaced. "She could've killed him," he said, quietly. "But you realize that, don't you? I can see it in your eyes, Alex. You don't want that to happen."

"I don't care!" Alex snapped, a little too loudly. "He's on his own. I can't help him.

Sheba backed away, sadness in her eyes as she looked at him. "He's your own flesh and blood, whether you care or not. But I think you do, Alex. You deny it, but you want to run to his side even now."

"Just like it was with Mia," Felix added.

Alex gritted his teeth, kicking at Felix and sending out a wave of energy. As much as he wanted to shout a clever comeback at his foes, he simply couldn't. Because, in his heart of hearts, Alex knew they were right.

That, more than anything, infuriated him.

Clovos, meanwhile, was fighting against Matthew, Tyrell, and Sveta while Eoleo and Takeru held off the hordes of Tuaparang soldiers. Rief and Himi were busily healing any injuries their companions were receiving. Try as they might to stand together, the group was being split into four parts.

Amiti, Karis, and Eos were being forced towards the edge of the tower by Diamond's vicious fighting; Matthew, Tyrell, and Sveta were taking the brunt of Clovos's attacks as he pushed them closer to the great doors to Artemis Tower even as Rief was healing them; Felix and Sheba were back to back and waging Psynergy warfare with Alex; and Eoleo and Takeru were still standing by the stairs with Himi to prevent any more soldiers from breaching towards the tower.

However, it was growing more and more dangerous by the moment, as the blasts of energy from the airships were beginning to crumble the tower's foundations.

As a blast narrowly missed him, Alex narrowed his eyes and jumped backwards, momentarily stalling his offense against Felix and Sheba. He frowned as he met Sheba's eyes.

"Are you a fool, Sheba?" he asked. "Can't you see that the Tuaparang are going to destroy this place if you don't let me open the doors?"

Sheba looked down, shaking her head. "If anyone breaks the Tower's Seal, that's definitely going to happen. Alan... My brother... He said so."

Alex shook his head. "That's obviously the fate of this lost continent, anyway. It's going to be destroyed one way or another. Why delay the inevitable?"

Sheba frowned, shaking her head. "There might be some other way."

_/No, Sheba. There is no other way./ _ Sheba blinked, looking around.

"Alan?" She whispered under her breath.

_/I'm speaking to you alone, Sheba. The elders are on their way—on their way to stop _your_ party. You must act now, or doom the world below forever. It is the obvious decision, sister. Even if we are destroyed, countless lives will be saved among your people. Correct?/_

Sheba's eyes teared up despite her. _/You _are_ my people./_

In her heart, though, she knew it wasn't so.

She might be theirs by her blood, but her true people, her true family were the ones who'd taken her in, who'd cared for her, who'd loved her no matter what.

Her foster family in Lalivero, Felix and Seth, and by extension the rest of the Warriors and their families. They were her people, their home was her home.

She might have been born an Anemos, but she had been raised otherwise.

_/Sheba./ _Alan's voice was heavy. _/I'm sorry./_

_/It's alright./ _Sheba tried to smile. _/Brother... I thank you, at least, for being kind to me./_

And with that, Sheba turned to the doors of Artemis Tower with new determination. Alex saw the look in her eyes and felt his pulse quicken. As she ran for the door, much to Felix's shock, Alex lunged after her. Felix barred his way, and Alex met Felix's gaze with one of anger.

"Game over," Felix muttered. "You've lost, Alex. Is your lust for power really so strong that you'd give up your humanity for it? You can still re-deem yourself. Maybe."

Alex didn't answer, but he averted his eyes.

It was his own misfortune that his gaze happened to fall on Amiti, then, and a wry smile twisted his lips. All his own humanity had ever given him was fleeting happiness that always turned to pain.

"You are a fool, Felix," Alex sighed. "You think you understand, but you do not."

Sheba reached the door at that moment, and the entire tower was bathed in light. It got brighter and brighter, until it was blinding.

Alex chose that moment to disappear, even as the Tuaparang made a hasty retreat.

"You'll regret this," Diamond hissed, glancing at Clovos.

"The High Empyror will know what to do," he said, and she nodded before they jumped aboard the largest airship.

"Damn," Felix swore, staggering as the ground shook with tremors and he nearly lost his balance.

The continent shook as, from the statue of Artemis at the top of the tower, a silver arrow caught fire and was released. It flew in a downward arc to the clouds and beyond, in the direction of central Angara where the Mourning Moon would be.

And then all the lights went out.

…

"The continent must be falling," Sheba groaned as she appeared behind Felix. The feeling in his gut certainly enforced that idea.

"We need to go," Felix said. "It isn't safe here."

But Sheba stubbornly shook her head. "No. We have to save Alan, too. And... And any others who'll come with us. I refuse to leave them to this fate."

Just then, the party's airship rose up in front of the tower. The door opened, and Karst threw down a ladder. "Come on, all of you. Get on!"

Felix met Sheba's eyes. "We'll fly over to them and see what we do. Quickly. There's no time to waste."

Sheba nodded, and took hold of the ladder.

The rest of the party followed suit, with Amiti and Karis at the end of the line. However, just as Amiti pulled himself up with sure footing, a violent tremor shook the land. Karis took hold of the ladder below him, but lost her footing as the ground fell from beneath her feet.

She cried out, gripping the ladder tight in her hands.

"Karis!" Amiti gasped, his heart racing. The look in his eyes was one of pure horror as her grip broke and she fell—down, towards the clouds.

"NO!" Amiti cried.

Almost on their own, his hands let go of the ladder...

And he fell, too, to meet his fate below.

…

**Author: **Wow. I actually finished this chapter. Took long enough, huh? I'm busy with other things right now, though. Such as getting scholarships to attend my dream school and working on original projects. (I have a dA account now, where I'm actually a lot more active. The link to it's on my profile here, if you want to see what I've been up to lately. :D)

I swear, this story's insane. So many characters... I actually dropped a few humorous parts I was going to have in here. Kraden was supposed to have a role in the battle, for instance... Where he would've almost gotten hit by an attack only to whack said attacker over the head with his staff. XD. Yeah. And then, at the end, Felix was going to be all impressed with Amiti's feat (seeing as how it kinda bests even _his_ stunt at Venus Lighthouse...) But it didn't feel right to have either event happen.

And I know I'm being awfully cruel, posting another cliff-hanger. I'm not finished writing the fight yet, but I think an update would be appreciated.

Tell me what you think of these events! :)

(And yes, the Tuaparang have a plan yet. Three guesses as to what's gonna happen with them next chapter.)

Anyways, on to reviews now!

**Smasher The-Keyblade-Bearer:** XD. I hope you're right. I agree. I hope the ending makes it worth it. (Heck, I hope there's a sequel _period..._) Anyway, hope you like this chapter. (And yes, I think that's one of my favorite lines from Dark Dawn. XD.)

**Heckenschutze: **Wow, you really think so? I spent a lot of time trying to make sure I didn't make any spelling errors or otherwise. (It being the first after a long hiatus, after all. I wanted it to be worth the wait.) I hope so, too. It'd be rather sad if I didn't wrap this up properly... So I'm sorry if it takes me a while to finish these next four or five chapters... Because I don't want to rush them, and I have a lot to do right now. Thanks for your review, though! Hope this chapter's epic enough for ya. ;)

**Supaku: **It's okay. I understand. It took me a long time to update yet again, and it'll probably be a while before the next one... But I'm getting there. :D Take your time. You don't have to review right away.

And that's all for now I guess. (Back to playing _Skyward Sword_ and _The World Ends With You_. So far, both are awesome! Yet difficult...)

See you next chapter!


	32. The Dragon's Claws

_Chapter Thirty-Two: The Dragon's Claws_

_...  
_

Karis awakened from the blackness that had swallowed her only to find her entire body burning with pain. She smelled blood, too, and upon glancing at the ground around her saw it belonged to her. An open wound in her side—where she assumed a broken rib had punctured her skin—was bleeding profusely. She was certain she had a lot more injuries than that, though, by the way she was hurting.

She heard a groan beside her, and blinked in shock as she turned—painfully, very painfully—to face the source of the noise.

Her eyes widened when her gaze met Amiti's. "What...?" She gasped, before crying out in pain and coughing. She tasted her own blood, and couldn't hold back tears. It wasn't just her own pain that made her cry, though... It was the sight of him, too.

He was just as broken and bloodied as she was, his worst apparent wound on his shoulder where he'd fallen on a sharp stone. And yet...

And yet, he was trying to smile at her, trying to reach out for her. Finally, his hand found it's way to her face, cupping her cheek as he brushed away her tears.

"Don't speak," he whispered. "Don't waste your breath, Karis. Stay with me a little longer, at least."

Karis sobbed, trying to do as he asked. She was surprised to find that her breathing came a bit easier, and the pain had subsided a little.

It didn't take long for her to figure out why.

Karis reached up, pulling his hand away from her face. His palm glowed with the blue energy of healing Psynergy, and Karis could only stare at him in disbelief.

"Amiti, what are you doing? You're wounded, too. You... You don't have energy to spare."

Amiti smiled a little, closing his eyes. "No... But that's okay. It's worth it... Worth... saving you, Karis."

Karis summoned all the energy she had, but she couldn't hold on to it. She didn't even try to hold back as she crept over to him, sobbing into his uninjured shoulder. "Why heal me first? Are you stupid? You need to survive, Amiti. You have a kingdom to return to. I don't."

Amiti opened his eyes again, to gaze into hers. "That may be true, but I... I couldn't live without you."

Karis stared at him in shock, the meaning behind his words dawning on her. "Amiti? Amiti, what're you sayin—"

Amiti cut her off by pulling her down towards him, locking her lips against his as he kissed her. Karis was surprised by how passionate he was, how desperate... This kiss was nothing like the others they'd shared. It felt different, almost... final.

Amiti finally let go of her, breaking away gently and closing his eyes to catch his breath. She could hear how hard it was for him, and figured he must have internal injuries as well. And yet, he was struggling to hold on. He brought his hand to hers, and clasped it tightly.

"Karis, as much as I don't want to die... I don't want to live without you, either. Right now, all I wish is... All I wish is that we could survive this. Together. Both of us." Karis just lay there in silence for a moment, as Amiti took a shallow breath and went on. "Karis... I love you."

Karis blinked back tears as she held on to him. "Amiti... I love you, too. So you better not leave me here, either. Please. Don't die. Hold on."

Amiti smiled even as he winced from the pain. His voice broke as he said, "I'll try."

…

Meanwhile, Amiti's father was having a rather hard time as well. He knew what the Tuaparang were probably going to do now, even as he sensed the dark energies at work within the Empyror's airship. He wanted to run, as he often did when situations became too dangerous, and yet...

He refused to allow them to do this. The energy hanging in the air from the Tower's activation was still raw enough to tamper with. If they harnessed it now, they would be nigh unstoppable.

Alex was the only one powerful enough to face them, and he knew it. He could feel the power of Alchemy running through his veins even now, could feel the raw power becoming tame. Soon, it would be his to command as he had always wished. Soon...

Soon, he would be beyond the reach of death forever.

Alex's thoughts were interrupted by a grating screech from the Empyror's zeppelin. Oh, yes. His suspicions were confirmed.

A mere moment later, a giant beast flew out of the hangar. A beast, indeed. It barely fit through the doors of the massive landing bay that belonged to the Empyror. Which made it larger than most of the Tuaparang's small airships. It was a enormous black dragon, with eyes like blue fire, long sickle-like claws, a clubbed tail, and pointed fangs.

The dragon spotted Alex where he stood on his own airship, and its eyes glared as it shot a plume of dark fire toward him. "So you do breathe flame..." Alex muttered. "Just wonderful."

He winced as, unable to maneuver the bulky airship completely out of the way, the fire grazed his ship. Emergency sirens started going off, and Alex knew he'd have to land—and quickly.

"I swear, I'm going to kill that damn thing," Alex growled as he turned the airship to the ground.

That is, of course, unless it killed him first...

…

"I can't believe it!" Nowell muttered, her eyes slightly damp even though she was holding back her tears. "I can't believe they're really... gone."

Every one of the Adepts in the group had been stunned when Karis lost her grip on the ladder and Amiti fell after her. It had hit everyone hard.

It was Felix who finally attempted to lighten the air. "Look, just because they fell doesn't mean they're dead. Sheba and I survived our fall from Venus Lighthouse, after all."

Sheba sighed, a half-smile crossing her face briefly before she frowned at Felix. "True enough, but the distance from the City of the Anemos to the ground is by far a greater distance."

Felix frowned, the uneasy silence returning to the cockpit of the airship.

"I know they'll be okay," Rief said sternly, surprising everyone. He blushed slightly at the sudden attention and pushed his glasses up further on his nose. "I know they're strong enough to survive. We just need to hurry to the ground and meet up with them. That's all. I bet they'll be fine."

The others smiled a bit at his words, but the moment was short-lived.

A hideous screech snapped them out of it.

As one, they turned to gaze out the window and caught sight of the dark form flying through the air. It was an enormous black shadow of a dragon... and it was headed their way.

"Karst!" Felix yelled. "Get this ship to land! Now!"

He didn't have to tell her twice.

…

As soon as they hit land, the group split up in preparation to face the monstrous beast. Takeru drew his Cloud Brand, whistling. "That is one big dragon."

Himi ran to stand beside him, staff held high. "We can do this, Takeru!"

"Be careful, don't get too close!" Felix shouted from where he stood with Sheba.

"And don't forget to look for Amiti and Karis," Nowell said.

The others nodded, quickly rushing at the beast as one force.

In the perilous terrain, however, and with the dragon flailing relentlessly, it didn't take long for the group to be split up. Matthew, Tyrell, Eoleo, Felix, and Sheba managed to claim higher ground... While the rest were trapped below.

Himi and Nowell retreated back into a cave—dodging falling rocks as they went—while Sveta, Takeru, Eos, and Seth fought the dragon head-on.

Sveta's eyes flashed golden as she went into her beast form and grappled with the dragon's tail, even as Takeru and Eos aimed for what they could see of its neck. Seth cast a Spark Plasma to distract it, even as Tyrell and Eoleo fired off a Pyroclasm from above.

It still wasn't enough. The dragon flailed out with its claws and clipped Sveta on the leg. She cried out in pain, doubling over.

Above, Matthew also fell to his knees. "Argh!" He moaned, clutching at his leg.

Tyrell shot him a worried glance. "Matt, you okay?"

Matthew was still gasping from the pain, but he set his jaw and glared out at the dragon. The golden glow in his eyes was unsettling to Tyrell, but he said could say nothing as Matthew all-but growled and ran over to the edge of the cliff before jumping off.

Eoleo blinked, glancing over at Felix momentarily. "Everyone's jumping off precarious locations these days, huh?"

Felix just glared at him.

Matthew landed between Takeru and Eos with a roll and immediately ran over to Sveta. Nowell had already crept out of her hiding place to try to heal her, but the wound wasn't responding well to her powers.

Nowell met Matthew's worried gaze. "There's something _dark_ about this wound, Matt. I don't like it..."

Matthew winced at the look of Sveta before bending over and casting a Potent Cure to help Nowell.

He then stood up tall and shouted orders to the rest. "Whatever you do, don't let it touch you! It's claws are poison... And I don't like the look of its fangs, either!"

Seth nodded at Matthew before sheathing his sword and whipping out his glider to gain better height in the situation. He landed between the dragon's wings and drew his sword again to stab at it, trying to find a weak point. Somewhere. _Anywhere_.

Nothing seemed to affect it.

Felix and Sheba were doing all they could to help, along with Eoleo and Tyrell... But even the old Warriors couldn't do much against the dragon.

"It has some sort of protection," Sheba sighed with frustration. "It'll take a lot more power to break through..."

"If only the others were here..." Felix sighed, sorely missing the once familiar presence of his friends.

When Matthew took a blunt blow to his left shoulder from the dragon's tail, it hurt enough to make Sveta wince and clutch at her own shoulder.

"Are you okay?" She cried.

Matthew tried to lift his arm, then shook his head. "It's dislocated," he mumbled, tightening his grip on his weapon with his right hand. "At least it's not my sword-arm."

Takeru frowned. "Next time you might not be so lucky... There _must_ be some way to hurt this damn thing..."

Takeru glanced down at his own weapon, the legendary Cloud Brand, and his eyes lit up as an idea began to take form. "They say this sword was made to slay a dragon... Maybe..."

Even as he said so, the dragon became annoyed with Seth's futile attacks and twisted to throw him off. Eos growled in anger and desperation as Seth hit the ground hard beside her, crying out in pain. Things were definitely not going well for any of the group... It was too much to bear.

Eos clasped her sword tight in her hands, hesitating only a moment longer before she ran straight at the dragon, pointing her blade at it's neck.

Seth sat up, the wind still knocked out of him, struggling. "Eos..." He gasped. "No! Don't..."

It was too late. The dragon saw her, its eyes glinting red as it trapped her in it's grip before she even reached it. Eos screamed in fear as she tried to avoid it's claws—a scream that only grew louder and more awful as the dragon lunged at her with it's jaw, clamping down on her shoulder with it's fangs.

While most of the party watched with horror, Takeru took advantage of the distraction, however terrible. He jumped up and stabbed the dragon in the eye with his Cloud Brand, both wounding it at long last and partially blinding it.

The unexpected attack from Takeru caused the dragon to let go of Eos, who fell in a crumpled heap below. Seth got to his feet quickly and ran over to her, throwing her limp form over his shoulder so he could run to the cave where Himi and Rief still stood to avoid the brunt of the attacks.

Takeru, unfortunately, was still in a dangerous position even though he was on the dragon's blind side. It growled, angered and in pain, clawing blindly around where Takeru stood. Even though he cleverly stayed out of sight, the dragon didn't have to see to make contact. Himi went pale as the dragon managed to make contact—leaving a long cut along Takeru's side. He screamed, but continued to lash out at the dragon with his blade. Wounded as he was, he no longer saw any point in holding back.

From above, Felix frowned. He wasn't about to let one of the young ones die in such a foolish way. "Tyrell, Eoleo!" He shouted, getting the attention of both Mars Adepts. "Cast a distraction, I'm going down there!"

"Be careful, Felix!" Sheba shouted after him.

Through the fire, Felix grabbed Takeru and pulled him away to join the small group in the cave. Himi was beside her brother in a moment, casting her healing powers on him, though they did little.

Her eyes were teary as she looked up at Felix. "Thank you, Felix."

Felix looked at her sadly. "Don't thank me, he's not saved yet..." Felix's gaze shifted first toward where the dragon still struggled against the fire-based Psynergy Tyrell and Eoleo were casting, then down at the many wounded.

"Gods help us..." He muttered, kneeling beside Seth and Eos. Seth's face was drawn and pale as he held Eos's hand in silence. Felix met his son's eyes. "She's not..."

Seth shook his head. "She's alive, just barely."

"Gods help us," Felix repeated.

Somewhere, something just might've heard him.

The flare of light that suddenly lit up the broken battlefield was incredible, bright and golden like the sun.

…

Amiti was afraid. He kept drifting on the edge of consciousness, and something in his gut warned him not to let go. In his state, if he let go he'd probably _never_ come back. And that just wouldn't do. He couldn't leave Karis... He'd promised her he'd hold on.

"Kar..." He muttered, gasping as his breath came in painful bursts. No, he didn't have long left. He couldn't stop the tears that welled up in his eyes as he thought about the life he'd lived, the life he could've lived...

"_Promise me, Amiti... That you won't die before your time."_

His mother, his uncle, his grandparents... All of them had died in their prime. Now he, too, was going to. He couldn't keep the wry smile off his face as he thought about how cursed nobles seemed to be... It was, as he'd said, their fate to watch others die before them.

Unconsciously, his grip on Karis tightened. At the very least, he'd hold on until she left him. Her breathing was shallow and unsteady, but she was still there. She stirred slightly, gasping in sudden pain. Amiti bit at his lip.

_Karis, I'm so sorry..._

"You truly are a foolish child, Amiti. Look at you, broken like this..."

Amiti blinked, confused. He knew that voice...

Someone bent over him, touched his forehead softly. The hand felt warm, but suddenly went cold. Pain shot through his body. He twisted and cried out, writhing as he felt his flesh mending itself.

"Interesting, is isn't it? How closely intertwined healing and hurting are? Opposing forces cannot exist without one another."

Finally, the pain subsided, and Amiti sat up quickly. He turned his head toward the person who stood before him—and met his father's gaze without wavering.

Alex's face was still a careful mask, but Amiti didn't have to see past it this time. Alex had healed him. There _had_ to be some reason for that.

Karis weakly clenched her hand in Amiti's shirt, disturbed by his sudden movement. Amiti looked down at her, his resolve breaking when he saw how broken she still was. He looked up at Alex again, his eyes watery and pleading.

To his surprise, the hard mask Alex always wore seemed to melt slightly. Alex sighed, and knelt down beside Karis.

"I have no reason to heal this girl whatsoever," he muttered, but the glow of Psynergy surrounded him anyway. "But it's clear that she's important to you, so I'll do what I can. I was a healer first, you know."

A healer gone terribly wrong, perhaps, but a healer nonetheless.

As soon as Karis went still again, her wounds healed, Alex stood and started to walk away. Amiti frowned, standing dizzily, and caught Alex by the arm.  
"Where do you think you're going? Why save us, only to leave us?" Amiti tried to keep the pain out of his voice, but couldn't hide it. "What is your reason, _father?_"

That word stopped Alex dead in his tracks. He turned to face Amiti a little, his face pale. Finally, he frowned and shrugged Amiti's grip off, pulling away. "I am no father to you, boy. You know that better than anyone. I healed you because it would be wrong for me to leave you to die when your life began because of me in the first place, but that's as far as it goes."

"That's a lie!" Amiti shouted, which startled Alex again. "Like it or not, you're my father, Alex! And I think you _do_ care, even though you won't admit it!"

Alex's silence was enough of an answer for him, so he went on. "You loved my mother, didn't you? But you were afraid... Why are you afraid?"

"Hurting and healing are closely interlinked," Alex mumbled. "To let yourself love is to open yourself to the pain of loss. Yes, I knew love, once... long ago. But I learned my lesson. I never wanted to feel that kind of pain again..."

Amiti held his breath, disbelieving.

Just then, the shrieks of the dragon became louder, angrier. Both Amiti and Alex turned in the direction of the sound, and Alex's brow furrowed. "Sounds as though your friends are having difficulty. I wonder how they'd react if I showed up to help them..." Alex chuckled to himself.

"I may not be the one to speak," Amiti smiled, "but I'm sure they'd be astonished, at the very least."

…

Those few among the party who were still able to stand and fight made their way out again, curiosity as to what had just happened lighting their faces.

Felix was the first one out, and as soon as he looked up he stopped and froze still as a statue, surprise written all over his face.

The sound of laughter came down from above, and Matthew perked up when he heard it. He _knew_ that laugh...

"Felix, you look like such a _fool_ right now! What're you just standing there for? Get up here and help us out!"

The smile that lit Felix's face at that moment was bright as the sun.

"If you insist... Jenna."

…

**Author: **It feels really good to finally get this chapter up! At more than 3,000 words, it was quite a monster. D: I had to get all the fight details in up to the reunion, though, because that's the break-off point I've been planning for a while. ;D The next chapter will be the final part of the battle sequence, and after that it's all loose-ends to tie up. :)

I've been wanting to write the first scene of this one for a looong time. It actually came out a little different than what I'd planned, but I just love it when that sort of thing happens-the characters sort of took over. The gist of the scene is the same as I'd planned, but their dialogue and actions were their doing in the end.^^ I still love Stormshipping so much!

The connection between Matthew and Sveta has been an idea of mine for a long time, too... As has the scene where Takeru rushes the dragon with the Cloud Brand. To those who said certain characters have gotten a bit neglected: I agree completely, which is why I wanted to give some of them a chance to shine in the end, at least.

And yes, I actually managed to work in a little Venus Lighthouse humor that I'd wanted in the last one.

It's odd to write Jenna now that I'm role-playing as her in a group on deviantArt.^^;

...Finally, anyone who can guess what the dragon is gets a cookie! (I hope it's blatantly obvious, though...

To my wonderful reviewers:

**Smasher The Keyblade Bearer:** Maaaybe. Not in this chapter yet, though. You'll have to wait and see what happens next...

**Heckenschutze:** I'm sorry for the long wait for the reply.^^; But yes, I'm trying to keep the writing as good as it's been lately.^^ I wince a little when I look at some of my older writing... I'm glad you liked that reference, and I hope you like the fact I actually worked it in in-chapter this time.^^

**jollygreendragon:** Well, you are good at guessing, I'll give you that.^^ Hope you like "how" it happened here. :) Alex even opened up a little, though he's still keeping mostly to himself. I'm sorry it took so long to finish this new update, but I hope it's worth the wait (and you know how busy I've been.^^;) I actually managed to read a few more chapters of Drops of Jupiter as well, but I plan to leave you a nice big review when i catch up.^^

**Warriormaid:** Because cliffies are awesome. ;D The next chapter won't have such a bad one... no-wait, scratch that... But the story will wrap up in the end.^^;

**EliteKessu:** I'm glad you like it so far, and welcome to the end-game of my story.^^ Hope you like this chapter!


	33. Warriors United

_Chapter Thirty-Three: Warriors United_

Felix ran to meet up with the rest of the Warriors atop the cliff—where several of his friends were staring in total shock at Sheba. Jenna, especially, seemed happy to see her dear friend alive and well after all the years she'd been thought dead. Jenna met her brother's gaze with somewhat teary eyes, but the Warriors all knew that now was not the time for discussion just yet. That would come later, provided that they all survived.

"Alright, then. Now that we're all here..." Isaac smiled at Sheba as he spoke, and Sheba beamed back at him. "Let's show the world what we can do even after all these years!"

Indeed, all of them _were _there now—even Karst stood beside them, having joined them in their darkest hour. Her face went pale when she saw the condition Eos was in, but she trusted Seth to care for her daughter as she fought. There was no time to worry now, not with the dragon wounded and struggling.

Now was the time to stand as one against this great foe.

Isaac and Felix were the first to charge the dragon head on, followed closely by the rest. Even after all this time, the two of them were still the leaders by unspoken agreement.

From where he stood, Kraden could not help but think of how terribly familiar this dire situation was. A little too like the battles the party had fought in the past, atop the lighthouses...

Felix took a heavy blow from one of the dragon's legs—and was flung into the side of the cliff. He let out a loud grunt, but managed to land on his feet even though he swayed a little.

Jenna rushed past Felix to stand between her brother and her husband, casting powerful Mars based attacks on the dragon. The monster just growled and shook itself, and Jenna stepped backwards in shock.

"I think all that did was make it angry," she said, disbelieving.

The dragon whipped its tail around, and Jenna had to duck to the side to avoid being hit. She and Felix were trapped on one side of the tail, with Isaac on the other. Piers frowned and ran up to join Isaac, swinging his sword down with all his might against the dragon's tough scales. It growled and twisted its tail into a flicking motion, tripping Piers up and knocking him flat on his back.

That gave Felix and Jenna a chance to slip past it and re-join the others. Felix offered Piers his hand to help his friend get up even as they retreated slightly. "Are you alright?" Felix asked.

Piers frowned, rubbing his side where he'd been hit. "I don't think anything's broken..."

"Good," Jenna said. "That would've been really stupid of you, Piers. You should've seen that coming..."

Piers frowned as he nodded, turning away from his friends so they wouldn't see the slight flush that had formed on his face from the embarrassment. She was right, though.

"I have no intent to let any of you get hurt," Piers said as he returned to his post. "If that means rushing to the front lines, so be it."

Garet stepped forward with a wry smile. "It's true that you're a lot stronger than Mia—so you should be able to take a bit more damage, Piers—Ow!"

Garet rubbed the back of his head as he glared at Mia over his shoulder. She smirked at him slightly, twisting her staff around as she deflected a blast of dark fire from the beast. "I can fight, too, in case you've forgotten."

Garet frowned deeply. All he'd said was that she was weaker than Piers, which was true enough. Was that really reason enough to whack him on the back of the head?

...Of course, there was always the possibility that she was still holding that old grudge against him, even after twenty-something years.

"Mercury Adepts _never_ forget anything, do you?" He grumbled under his breath, running up to join Isaac, Jenna, and Felix on the front lines.

Sheba and Ivan, as usual, stayed back a little to avoid taking the heavy damage while unleashing Jupiter Psyergy like mad. While catching his breath between strikes, Ivan shot Sheba a quick grin.

"It's good to see you, Sheba! We all thought you were... you know..."

"Dead?" Sheba asked, frowning a little. "Yeah... I know. The last twenty years are kind of hazy for me... The Tuaparang were using me as a kind of power source for a while. I was in pretty bad shape at first, but Felix has been doing all he can to help me recover."

Ivan frowned. "Are you sure you should be fighting, then?"

Sheba dodged a flying boulder and grinned at Ivan. "I feel fine, Ivan. Just fine."

"If you say so..." Ivan smiled. "That's good to hear."

"We were so sad, Sheba..." Jenna muttered, moving to stand near her and Ivan temporarily while Mia ran to cast a quick Wish on the front party.

Sheba met Jenna's gaze with sympathy. "I'm sure you were, Jenna..."

Jenna nodded, trying to keep her attentions on the battle and not the reunion with her long-lost friend. Her gaze fell on Felix. "My brother's state after loosing you was even worse, though. He loves you so dearly... It _killed _him to lose you like that."

Sheba nodded, swallowing a little. "Yeah, I know. Felix told me everything he's been through. It... hurt just to listen to."

Sheba tried not to look at Karst as she spoke, but when her eyes met the Proxian woman's she saw that Karst's expression was hard. Jenna followed Sheba's gaze and frowned in confusion. Of course, Jenna knew that there had always been tension between the two women—but she wondered what had re-opened the old wounds again.

At that moment, Felix dodged backwards, grimacing slightly as he moved to stand next to Sheba. His eyes were on the dragon.

"Nothing's really doing much damage, huh?" he asked them.

Sheba frowned, sending out a barrage of her strongest Jupiter Psynergy as Jenna fired a beam of Mars and Felix unleashed a powerful Odyssey. As Felix had predicted, the beast only seemed mildly annoyed.

Even in its weakened state, the strongest of the Warriors _still_ could do little to harm it. The worst injury it had received was the one Takeru had given it—and even the attacks Isaac had been aiming at the monster's bad eye weren't doing much.

The hope the arrival of the Warriors had given Matthew's party was waning fast... But even so, they were not ready to let go of that hope completely.

It hadn't escaped Himi's notice that, indeed, her brother had been the only Adept to land a true injury on the dragon. And she'd seen the way her brother had looked at the Cloud Brand—the dragon-slaying blade that had belonged to Susa's family for generations—just before he'd attacked it.

Himi stood, face drawn and carefully composed, giving Takeru one last worried glance before she took hold of the Cloud Brand where it lay beside him. It was heavy, and she couldn't hope to fight with it, but if she could get it to Felix... Perhaps...

"Felix!" Himi shouted, getting his attention. He saw what she was doing right away, understanding flashing in his eyes.

"Back me up," Felix shouted to no one in particular, but both Isaac and Piers nodded and complied. Felix ran over to Himi, smiling a little as he took hold of the weapon. "Thank you," Felix said, patting her reassuringly on the shoulder. "No need to endanger yourself, though. Do your duty, stand by your friends. Tend to the injured."

As Himi watched Felix run back to the fight, his back turned to her, she couldn't help but feel a little angry. The way he'd treated her... It was as though he saw her as weak. Himi watched the Warriors battle, seeing that even Mia was fighting a little, even though she was primarily a healer.

Why couldn't she do something, too? She'd proven herself in battle beside Matthew already, and as a miko her powers did not only bring healing.

Himi ran back to where her staff lay, near her brother. Yes, she was the child of Susa and Kushinada, too. She could do something. Himi raised her staff high, muttering a chant she'd learned from her aunt long ago, a miko's spell.

A spell to awaken the restless spirits of the dead and call them to _their_ duty.

The moment she thrust her staff into the ground, an ethereal fog formed around her and spread through the valley, creeping upwards and outwards from Himi.

Rief glanced over to her, worry wrinkling his brow as he watched her cast her spell. Her lips never stopped moving, and when the fog reached Rief he shivered, shying away from it.

It felt cold as death itself.

"Himi?" he asked, unsteady. "Himi, what are you doing?"

She didn't answer him, didn't even look his way. Her eyes were dull, as though she were possessed. Rief remembered how Himi had appeared the first time they met her—and his gut twisted in fear for her. This couldn't be safe for her...

"Himi!" He shouted, taking another step forward.

Sveta stood quickly, staggering from the pain of her wounded leg. "Don't distract her, Rief! You'll hurt her worse that way!"

Rief turned to Sveta in shock for a moment before he remembered Sveta's ability to read minds. She must've figured something out that he didn't know. Rief frowned, turning back to Himi.

He hoped she'd be okay.

…

Amiti made his way slowly toward where the battle was playing out. He could see the flashes of Psynergy lighting the area. He was desperate to reach his friends, but even Alex's power hadn't fully healed his wounds—they'd been _very_ bad, after all. He was lucky to be able to stand.

The fact that Alex was even carrying the still-unconscious Karis—the fact that Alex had picked her up without even _asking_ Amiti if he wanted help with her—only made Amiti's temper worse.

Alex glanced back over his shoulder, frowning at Amiti's slow pace, and sighed. "I do hope you realize the longer we take the less likely we are to make it in time to end this properly?"

Amiti gritted his teeth. "If you're so impatient, why don't you leave her with me and run along?"

Alex frowned. "You're in no state to be carrying anyone. Not when you can barely hold yourself up. That healing took a lot out of you, boy."

Amiti bowed his head, but he knew Alex was right. He was running on adrenaline alone, and when that ran out... He'd be out for a while. But every time he looked at Karis, he felt a new surge of energy flow through his veins. He had to stand and fight a little longer. For his friends, but mostly for _her_.

Amiti and Alex made it to the ridge above where the Warriors were fighting the dragon just as Himi cast her spell. Their eyes widened as they watched a strange ethereal fog rise and fill the chasm, little wispy tendrils making their way toward the top of the cliff.

"What the...?" Alex asked, taking one step back. "What is this?"

The fog finally reached them, clouding the air around where they stood. It wasn't thick fog at all, just... creepy. It felt strange. Cold.

Like death.

Amiti shuddered violently when he realized how close he'd come to dying so recently—if Alex hadn't found him and Karis, they'd be long gone. That fact didn't sit well with Amiti at all.

He glanced over to Alex, thoughts still straying, until he saw the fearful and distant expression on his father's face. That alone sent a chill all the way through Amiti.

"Alex...?" Amiti cried out, afraid.

"Amiti," a voice said, coming from nowhere and everywhere all at once. He felt like he knew it from... somewhere. The sound was strangely soothing to his weary ears.

"Little one..." the same voice sighed again. It sounded sad. Amiti felt his heart aching for it's bearer.

"Not so little anymore, is he?" That voice was unmistakable. Amiti's eyes widened as he felt his heart begin to race. It... couldn't be.

"U-uncle...?"

The familiar figure started to form within the fog. Amiti held his breath until, sure as day, Paithos stood before him. Amiti took a step forward unconsciously. "A-are you...?"

Paithos looked down at himself, uncertainty in his eyes. Finally, he stepped forward and claped Amiti's shoulder. Amiti shivered—his hand was so cold, he could feel the chill seep through his clothing. But he was solid, for sure.

Before Amiti could say anything more, Paithos smiled proudly at him and drew him into his embrace. "Amiti, my dear nephew—my dear _son._ Look at you. You will lead your kingdom well, I've seen your actions thus far. And Karis will make a fine queen." His eyes darted toward Alex, then, and his expression shifted.

"Him," Paithos muttered.

"Don't be harsh to him, brother..." It was that other voice again, and Amiti trembled as he realized who it must belong to.

A second figure began to form in the fog, and Amiti's eyes grew wide. Finally, the figure solidified—becoming a regal-looking woman around Amiti's age. He knew her face—he'd seen it on the tapestries in the wing of the palace that had been mostly abandoned since the death of the princess who had lived there.

It was his mother, Veriti.

Though her gaze fell first on Alex, it quickly turned to Amiti. And though her expression had been sad and full of longing when she first appeared, the moment her eyes fell on Amiti a smile spread across her face. She took a hesitant step forward, her expression beaming.

"Oh, little one... I knew you'd grow up to be strong. I knew it."

Amiti took a step toward her, his gaze full of longing, but then he felt a jab of pain in his side and remembered his injuries. Remembered what he was supposed to be doing. The dream was shattered. His brow furrowed as he looked up and met his mother's eyes with determination. "Mother... As much as I want to speak to you right now, I can't. I'm sorry."

Veriti's eyes lit up with understanding, and she nodded quickly—though her expression was once again pained. "Your friends need you—I know. Go to them, my son. I'll give you the strength you need."

Paithos smiled. "As will I."

In a flash of light, both figures vanished. Amiti felt something shift within him, and suddenly the rest of his pains were gone. He stood up tall and smiled.

He felt like he could do anything.

He turned back to look at Alex—

Only to find the man gone, and Karis laying on the ground all alone and still unconscious. Amiti frowned, sighing as he walked over to her and picked her up over his shoulder gently before moving on.

It was high time that Amiti of Ayuthay rejoined his friends in their fight.

…

It didn't take long for the fog to fill the floor of the chasm where the great battle was taking place. As it surrounded and passed each of the Warriors, the chill sunk deeply into all of them.

"What is that girl doing...?" Felix wondered aloud, gazing back toward Himi where she still stood, never wavering in her chant.

Just when he was about to turn his gaze back to the dragon, a figure began to form in the eerie mist. Felix stared at it in confusion for a moment—that is, until the form began to solidify enough to be recognized.

His sudden intake of breath startled Jenna and Sheba, who were still standing right beside him.

"Felix...?" Jenna asked, turning around to follow his gaze.

"Karst!" Felix shouted, taking a step backwards. Karst ran over with inhuman swiftness, her eyes on Felix until she stood right beside him. The moment her eyes fell onto the fog-cloaked figure, her expression became some strange combination of fear, horror, and hope.

"No..." Karst muttered, her arm unconsciously reaching out and clasping Felix's shoulder. Her fingers twisted into his cape.

Jenna frowned, glancing over to Sheba—who was staring at Felix and Karst, face drawn taught from her barely suppressed emotions.

"That's not like you, Karst... a Warrior of Prox never abandons a battle."

Karst bowed her head before taking a step toward the figure and forcing herself to smile—which came out looking more like a grimace than anything.

"True enough... but it's thinking like that that gets so many of us killed. Menardi and Saturos... Agatio..." Karst swallowed, voice trembling. "...You."

Eleon bowed his own head before meeting Karst's gaze silently and holding his arms open. Karst, still disbelieving, ran to meet him. When she found him solid and steady, she all but collapsed against him.

"Eleon..." her voice still wavered, and she shook in his embrace. "You're... you're so _cold_."

"Yes," he sighed. "The chill of death clings to me still... I'm not alive, Karst. I was called here from... elsewhere. To take one last stand against the foes that slew me."

He glanced back toward Himi, whose spell had summoned him, and his eyes softened when they fell on Eos where Rief was tending her as best he could. "Is that..."

Karst tightened her hold on Eleon momentarily. "Eos," she mumbled. "Your daughter."

"Eos," Eleon grinned. "She really does take after you, my love."

"Oh, please... cut the sappiness or I'm gonna puke."

Karst jumped when she heard _that_ voice, her eyes wide in disbelief. She broke out of Eleon's hold to see for herself the others who were joining the heroes from beyond the fog of death.

"Really, Menardi... Can't you cut Karst a little slack? She hasn't seen her husband for twenty years, after all..."

"That's no excuse for her, Saturos. My sister should know better. It's not like a Proxian to turn their back on a battle like that—look, _little sister... _You're letting those pathetic Warriors of _Vale_ fight in your stead."

"...Don't forget, you _lost _against those pathetic warriors, Menardi."

"So did you, stupid!"

Karst sighed, shaking her head as she watched the duo argue even as Agatio appeared behind them. Yep, nothing new there. It did Karst's heart good to see them... All of them.

And despite the words she'd said, Menardi was beaming with pride when she looked at Karst. No words needed to be exchanged between them as Menardi and Saturos came to stand with her. Only a quick clap on the shoulder—nothing more, nothing less.

"Saturos, Menardi..." Felix nodded at them curtly. "Are you willing to fight beside us now?"

"We were on your side all along, boy," Saturos grumbled. "Our methods may differ, but we wanted the same thing. Why would we give our lives to save Prox once only to let it fall to darkness now because we're unwilling to join with our former enemies in battle?"

"That would be foolish of us, wouldn't it?" Agatio smirked.

"Then it's settled," Karst said, holding her sword high. "We fight as one—Warriors of Prox and Warriors of Vale united!"

The rest of the Warriors shouted their agreement before rushing the dragon in an all-out charge.

…

The moment the fog surrounded him, and the chill began to sink into his skin, Alex had to struggle not to panic. The cold was all-too familiar... In that cold, he could feel the hands of death clawing at him once again, just as they had when he was sick with the fever as a child.

And with the cold came _her _voice, no matter how hard he tried to block it out.

It echoed in his ears, sunk in deeper than he cared to admit.

"_Why did you leave us? Why, Alex?"_

Alex shook his head, willing the voice to go away.

Instead, it was joined by a choir of voices—voices he knew, voices he hadn't heard in _years._

"_Why, Alex? Why?"_

_Go away,_ Alex thought. _Go away, go back where you were._

"You can't silence us. You're a fool if you think finding immortality will save you, Alex."

"You could've done so much good if you hadn't become obsessed with your quest..."

Alex shut his eyes, wishing he could shut his ears to their voices as well. But the voices only grew louder.

"You think we're proud of you for what you've done, Alex? Because you let your guilt and fear push you forward?" His father's voice was full of resentment.

Alex swallowed hard. _No, I don't think you're proud of me. But I don't need—_

"You don't need _love_?" His mother's voice was spiteful. "You may think so, but your heart still sought it out, didn't it? You could've saved that poor girl if you hadn't _abandoned _her in your _fear_."

Alex continued to shake his head, setting Karis down on the ground absentmindedly as he stepped backwards to escape their voices. _The fog,_ Alex thought, _I have to get out of it. It's causing this madness..._

"The madness is not without, but within..."

He didn't even know who's voice that was, but he didn't care. He took a step back, opened his eyes briefly—but just long enough to catch sight of Veriti's figure, meet her sad gaze.

_I'm sorry..._ Alex thought, turning away before he ran.

...

As the Warriors charged the beast together one last time, the dragon cried out in pain when the Cloud Brand struck it through the shoulder. Takeru and Himi had been correct, the protective force around the dragon had to be broken by the blade's magic before it could be wounded fatally.

It seemed to be falling back at this point, bleeding profusely from every wound Felix gave to it and also being wounded by the other attacks now that it's shield had fallen.

Rief gathered his energies one more time, focusing on Eos and Takeru since Sveta and Matthew .seemed at least stable. Seth's face betrayed no emotion as he hovered beside Eos, but his voice wavered slightly when he finally spoke to Rief.

"...Will she be okay?" he asked.

Rief frowned, wiping sweat from his forehead. He wasn't sure what to say. "...I don't know. The wounds that thing inflicts are _bad_. And... even if these were normal wounds, she'd be hard to heal."

Rief sniffled a little, pulling back his glasses to wipe his eyes. He left a smear of blood on one of his cheeks, but he didn't notice. He was trying not to cry—wishing he could be more like his mother at times like this. Mia never let her emotions get to her when she was healing.

Seth reached out and clasped Rief's shoulder. "Rief, it's okay. You're doing all you can, how can you do anything more? If... if she doesn't make it, it wouldn't be your fault."

Rief opened his mouth to say something, but was cut off when the dragon screamed in pain and terror as it realized it was actually losing the fight. It began to thrash about without restraint, slamming the walls of the chasm with its club-like tail. The sides of the cliffs began to cave and collapse from its violent throes, and to Rief's terror a fracture ran all the way across to where he and his wounded friends had taken cover. Suddenly, the very outcropping that had protected them became their most imminent danger.

"We have to get out!" Rief shouted. Seth took one look at the ceiling and nodded, throwing Eos over his shoulder as gently as he could and picking Takeru up as best he could—Matthew helped Seth with Takeru as well, using his good arm.

"Reif, you help Sveta!" Matthew shouted over the noise. Rief nodded and let Sveta lean on his shoulder as she hobbled away from the walls.

It was only when the wounded were safely away from the walls of the chasm that Rief breathed a sigh of relief.

That is, until he remembered something.

The sound of the rock beginning to crumble and give way almost stopped his heart when he turned around and saw that _Himi still hadn't moved from where she stood. _She was still in that trance-like state chanting the spell that had summoned the dead—and right in the zone of danger.

"Himi!" Rief screamed, knowing deep down that she wouldn't hear him.

So, even as he shouted he ran toward her as fast as he could, summoning a protective djinn spirit and praying that he'd make it to her in time.

The rock caved, falling toward her—and Rief unleashed the djinni just as he reached her, standing between Himi and the side of the cliff. The protective aura shone around them in the nick of—

Almost in the nick of time, that is. A large piece of stone managed to get through the barrier and Rief's eyes went wide as he held up an arm instinctively, protecting both himself and Himi.

The moment the rock made contact, Rief screamed in pain as he heard the unmistakable sound of bone snapping. His right arm fell uselessly to his side.

...But he was alive, and Himi was uninterrupted. Rief managed to grimace a smile at that before the sound of shifting rock outside reminded him that they only had until the djinni's magic ran out before they would be crushed under a ton of rock.

"Please, Himi..." Rief cried. "Snap out of this soon."

He closed his eyes in terror before, with a final shifting of rock, he felt wind on his face. Rief looked up, relief flooding him as he saw Matthew moving the rock away from the shield.

"Easy there, Rief. I think I've almost got you uncovered..."

"Thanks, Matt... You're a real life-saver!"

…

Amiti made it into the chasm in time to see Rief's act of heroism, and to sat the least he was stunned. He rushed over to where Seth stood with Sveta, Eos, and Takeru... laying Karis down beside them before looking the wounded over. He winced to see how badly his friends had been hurt.

"They don't look too good..." He muttered.

Seth raised an eyebrow at him. "You look pretty bad yourself, Amiti. You're covered in blood."

Amiti grimaced a little. "Yeah, most of that's mine."

Seth stared at Amiti in shock. "Are you sure you should be standing?"

Amiti shrugged. "I feel fine at the moment, actually. Like I could beat that thing up single-handedly if I wanted to!"

Seth looked at Amiti like he'd gone insane. "Amiti, are you sure you're not suffering from bloodloss? You sound delusional, I hope you know."

Amiti laughed loudly. "Delusional? Maybe I am! But while I feel this way I might as well take advantage of it, right?"

"Amiti, wait!" Seth tried to catch Amiti as he ran toward where the rest of the Warriors fought the monster, but was too late.

Amiti snuck around the fight, running up a narrow ledge where he could claim higher ground. He raised his Masamune high—his wounded shoulder didn't even hurt a bit anymore—and lashed out at the monster's wing. It screamed, turning its head toward him and locking on to him with it's remaining eye.

"Amiti?" Felix shouted, confusion and worry all over his face. "What are you—"

"Helping my friends!" Amiti yelled, cutting Felix off. "This is my fight, too!"

"But you're wounded—"

Amiti turned to shoot Felix an angry glare—_I feel fine_, he wanted to say—but before he got the chance the dragon took advantage of his distraction and swiped at him with an arm. Amiti caught his error in time to dodge the claws, but still fell over backwards from the force of the blow.

The dragon's head moved closer to Amiti, meeting his frightened gaze with a smug-looking one as it opened its jaw and breathed in. That smug look was a little too familiar to the King of Ayuthay.

"...Diamond?" He gasped even as the dragon made a sound like laughter before exhaling with a burst of flame...

Amiti shut his eyes, certain of his death, before he realized he was fine. He opened his eyes to see the forms of his mother and uncle standing over him, guarding him from the flame.

Unfortunately, the fog was beginning to disappear—and, sure enough, when Amiti glanced back toward where Himi stood the girl was no longer chanting but, rather, was tending the injured with the last of her energy.

When Amiti looked back at the spirits of his mother and uncle, he couldn't keep the sorrow from his gaze.

Veriti smiled at him. "Stand strong, Amiti. I'm sorry we never got a chance to speak with each other in the end... but I want you to know I love you. I have _always_ loved you."

"I know," Amiti mumbled. "I love you, too... Mother..."

With one last smile, she and Paithos vanished... leaving Amiti to face the dragon all alone.

And worse, now that they were no longer adding their spirit to his he felt all the weight of his wounds again and fell to his knees against the side of the cliff. Stars swam before his vision—he really _wasn't_ fine, he had no energy left at all.

The dragon pulled its head back one last time, and this time Amiti knew he was doomed.

"Don't you dare think it's over yet!"

Amiti looked up in time to see Alex standing between him and the dragon...

...And then, everything in his world went black as he finally succumbed to his exhaustion.

…

Alex watched the last part of the battle play out from above, sure that the Warriors would fell the beast. The moment he saw Amiti run up to fight beside them, he felt a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach.

_Just because you don't _feel _your wounds right now doesn't mean they're gone, fool..._

He watched as Paithos and Veriti defended his son one last time before vanishing for good. He watched Amiti collapse, watched the dragon raise its head for the kill...

And he couldn't let it happen.

Not again.

Alex teleported the short distance from where he stood to a space between Amiti and the dragon, holding his hand high.

"Don't you dare think it's over yet!" He shouted, eyes burning with hatred for them—for _Diamond, Clovos, and the High Empyror_ damn them _all—_as he raised a hand and summoned Psynergy. "I won't let you kill my _son_!"

That stunned the dragon enough for him to get an opening. _Fools_, Alex thought to himself, smirking as he unleashed a barrage of energy. And he _still_ had power to spare.

The dragon fell backwards, collapsing as a cloud of dark energy surrounded it. Alex shot one more beam of energy toward it for good measure before picking Amiti up and teleporting to where the warriors stood.

Felix shook his head at Alex, unable to keep a smile off his face from the irony. "Looks like when push comes to shove you're not so bad after all."

Garet huffed at that comment. "Don't feed his ego, Felix... Not like he needs it."

Isaac looked from Alex to Amiti, nodding. "So, he _is_ your son then?"

Alex sighed, setting Amiti down before answering. "...Yes and no." He said at last. "I fathered him, yes... But his uncle, King Paithos, deserves the title more than I do. I think I've done more for him today than I have his entire lifetime..."

Mia took a step forward. "Alex... What... Why...?"

Alex turned to face her, his expression pained. "I don't know what to say to you, Mia, and I doubt any of it would matter..."

_Besides, now's the time to be harnessing the energy of Alchemy... Now that it's tamed once and for all..._

Alex smirked, turning away from the party...

...and gasped as the dragon's tail made one last swipe, pinning him against the ground. The beast struggled to get up even as the Warriors readied their weapons, stunned.

But Alex was a step ahead. He unleashed his power into the monster, white light and energy radiating all around them. Finally, the dragon separated back into the people who'd fused to create it, drained of all life and energy.

That is, all save one.

The High Empyror met Alex's gaze one last time before summoning his dark energies and Alex was forced to draw from the deepest depths of his power to fend him off.

When their energies met, there was a moment of deafening silence before the energies canceled each other out in a dark implosion of power.

When the dust cleared, neither the Empyror nor Alex were anywhere to be seen.

...

**Author: **So many loose ends of the fight to tie up... I'm sorry in advance if this is confusing at all. Or if you absolutely hate the conclusion. But this is the last action-heavy chapter... and there are only two chapters left, period.

It feels really strange to finally have this battle finished. But this is the end I planned from the start.

So... Did anyone figure out that the dragon was actually Diamond, Clovos, and his Majesty the High Empyror? It's kind of obvious, since this IS Golden Sun after all, but still...

I don't really have much else to say about this chapter. I hope you guys enjoy, and hope you'll stick with me through the last two to the conclusion! Thanks for all the support so far!

To my reviewers:

**Smasherthekeybladebearer: **It is very fun to write Alex, when it isn't really frustrating. We know next to nothing about him, so you can REALLY interpret his character in a lot of ways... And yeah, the two of them could be a good team, if they ever had a chance.

**jollygreendragon: **Sorry for the long wait there, really! I tried to get this one out sooner, but it was a difficult chapter to write... Hope you like this one as much as I've been enjoying your updates!

**Heckenschutze: **Ah, Skyrim. I've heard a lot about that game. I'd play it, except I've got little enough time as it is. Hm... I'lll try to clean that up when I get around to fixing old chapters a little, but part of that just might be my style of writing in general. I'm glad you liked the scenes themselves, though, and hope this one's enjoyable too!

**mistress: **Ironically, today. Hope the update satisfies you. ^^

**Warriormaid: **It's okay, that's sort of what prevents me from updating as often as I'd like to. It's hard to write battle scenes, but I like to challenge myself. I'm glad you think it's well written, because honestly I have trouble telling that about a scene when I've been staring at it for a long time. *twitch.*

And with that, I'll sign off for now! The next chapter should be up sometime soon. ^^


	34. Dawn of a New Age

_Chapter Thirty-Four: Dawn of a New Age_

_..._

_Six-and-a-half months later..._

Amiti stood in front of his mirror, allowing his maid to fit his ceremonial armor on. As the final touches were completed – his belt buckled around his waist and his cape fastened to his shoulders – he couldn't help but smile at the man that stared back at him. He was older, more regal-looking – no longer bearing the demeanor of a prince newly ascended to the throne. No, he was far more sure of himself, as a King should be.

"You look fine, milord," Tika smiled, brushing down his cape and stepping back to admire him. He gave a curt nod and looked at her.

"Thank you," he smiled. "I just hope I can sound as regal as I look..."

"You've hardly stammered at all of late," Tika reassured him. "You'll do fine."

Just as he was about to continue, Tika's brother Tobi came in, giving the King a bow before standing straight again with a grin. "Your friends await you downstairs, your highness. The last of them just arrived."

"Ah, good," Amiti smiled, nodding to them before leaving his chambers and heading to the room where his friends were waiting –

Matthew, Tyrell, Rief... Takeru and Seth. They all stood there, smiling as they listened to the newly arrived Eoleo brag on about the latest news from Champa...

"...he's got my hair, so I'm hoping he'll take after me a bit. Or better yet, my old man. He was a good man, and a good pirate."

"I'm sure little Briggs will fill those shoes just fine," Matt smiled. "Sounds like his dad loves him an awful lot. And how's Obaba doing?"  
Eoleo laughed. "Now that she's lived to see her grandson's grandson, she's sayin' she's not keelin' over till he pops out a little one, too..." He shook his head. "I dunno that great-gran will live that long, but... Hey, who knows?"

Amiti came up behind Eoleo and clapped him on the shoulder. "Hey, congrats. I got the letter a month ago – you still sound so proud."

"Oh, I am," he laughed, bringing an arm around Amiti's shoulders. "Congrats yourself – and good luck tonight. Hope Karis knows how to make heirs or you two might be in a bit of trouble..."

Amiti's face reddened from the teasing, and he pulled away with a huff. "My uncle _did_ have that talk with me years ago, Eoleo. Thank you very much."

"Aw come on. I was just joking..." He laughed again. Amiti chose to ignore him, instead asking the others how his friends were – of course, the girls were speaking with Karis in another room. But Matt assured Amiti that Sveta had made a full recovery from her injuries – as had Himi and Eos. It had taken time, but things were finally returning to normal...

"I'm actually going to be moving to Belinsk," Matt finally said, somewhat quieter than Eoleo. "Sveta wants me to be part of her council, and her people seem to like me alright."

Amiti smiled a little – it was no secret among their group that Matt and Sveta were together now. But with relations still strained between the beastmen and man... He did feel a little worried for them.

"Milord, the ceremony is soon to start." Tika announced, coming into the room. "Your friends should probably get to their seats."

"Yes," Amiti nodded, face paling slightly again – and Matt chuckled and nudged him in the side.

"Take it easy, your highness. Don't trip over that cape of yours."

"Matt!" He laughed – face reddening more as each of his friends gave him a parting jest and reassurance before leaving him alone in the chamber, save for his servants.

"...You need to get to your place, too, milord."

"G-Give me another m-moment, please..." Amiti stammered, looking at his feet. "All of you – go on. I just need to get my wits about me...""

Tika and Tobi shared a glance before nodding to the other servants and ushering them out, each giving a bow of respect before taking leave. Only when he was all alone in the room did he allow his nerves to show, and he shook slightly as he wandered over to a mirror again.

"...G-Get a g-grip, Amiti. It's j-just a wedding, no n-need to be so nervous... L-Look at yourself, you're a K-King... So act like one, damn it..." He sighed and closed his eyes for a minute, steeling himself and straightening his back before opening his eyes again to take a look at himself.

And saw Alex staring back at him. He blinked once before realizing that face was _not_ his own – indeed, his own reflection was there too –

"You really need to work on those nerves of yours. Even in private, a King should be regal."

Amiti turned around, looking the other man over curiously. "...So you are alive. Again."

Alex smiled and gave a little laugh. "You think it's so easy to be rid of me? You're sadly mistaken then. The Empyror is gone, though. The Tuaparang will not bother you or your friends anymore."  
"And Alchemy is tamed now? No more vortexes?"

"Yes," Alex nodded, closing his eyes. "The world should be stable now. The power of a lost age is in your hands, and the hands of your children. Use it wisely."

"Says you," Amiti huffed, crossing his arms. "You know how many died because of this."

"Then don't let their sacrifice be in vain," Alex countered. "You are one of the leaders of this world now, don't let the nations break out in war again as they did at the end of the Golden Age."

"Is that why you came here? To give me even more to worry about?"

"No," Alex admitted, taking a step forward and resting a hand on the young King's shoulder. "I came here to congratulate my son. I heard he was getting married today, and, well... I wanted to wish him luck."

Amiti tried to hold his stoic expression, but failed – a small smile coming to his lips a moment before he hugged the other. Alex tensed up in surprise for a moment, but soon sighed and clapped Amiti on the back. "Alright, alright... get out there now. She loves you, just remember that. Even if you mess up royally, she will still love you. And no one else matters, not really."

Amiti smiled and gave a nod, pulling back and standing up at his full height. "Alright. Thank you. And..." He glanced to one side, with a small sigh. "...You are my father, so... if you would like a seat..."

"No," Alex shook his head, cutting Amiti off. "I think it would be best if I take my leave now. I wasn't present for all of your life until now – and it would only look bad for your people to see me, when you've gone your entire life telling them your mother had you by herself."

"I know, but..."

Alex chuckled and clapped Amiti's shoulder twice. "No buts. I wouldn't want to take away from your glory anyways – today's your day to shine, Amiti. This is your kingdom, your age. So get out there, and be their Golden Sun."

"Alright," Amiti sighed, giving Alex one more little smile before walking away, toward the door. When he was almost there, he gave a sigh. "Thank you, again – for at least seeing me off." There was no answer, and when Amiti turned...

...Alex was already gone.

…

The wedding followed without a hitch, and the people of Ayuthay cheered loudly for their King and his new Queen. From his vantage point on the city's walls, Alex smiled proudly as he watched the newlyweds enter the palace to escape the crowd – and, presumably, head to more private quarters.

Alex found himself giving a small sigh – wondering, not for the last time, if he could've had such a ceremony if only he had stayed. If they would've accepted him as eagerly as they accepted Karis – whether he'd already gotten their princess with child or not. If Veriti could've been saved if he'd been there to heal her...

But as he turned away, he knew it was no longer time to dwell on the past. Amiti would do well, as would Sveta and Takeru and all the rest. It was their time, now – not his. "Good luck," he sighed, smiling as he finally took his leave. "You're all going to need it."

It was the dawn of a new age – their age, the time that had been promised long ago.

...

**Author:** Well, guys. This is it. (Finally.) I know I took forever on this chapter - life came up. I got distracted. Every time I came to sit and work on it I would type a few words or just stare at the page. I lost the muse for this story for a ridiculously long time. In fact, there's another half chapter written that was supposed to be the thirty-fourth chapter (this would've been the thrity-fifth) but I finally realized that chapter wasn't needed, and if I kept typing away at that filler, this story would never be finished.

But here we are, at long last. A story nearly three years in the making. And... I know there are lots of errors and mistakes, but I don't feel like fixing them. I've been having more and more trouble sticking with writing my fanfictions for a while now - but there is supposed to be a sequel to this. I'm working on it. But I probably won't publish any more of it until I finish typing it so there won't be anymore months-long waits as I work on chapters.

To anyone who stuck with it this far - thank you. Thank you all so much for reading this. If it weren't for you, this story wouldn't have become what it has. Your reviews always gave me the will to keep writing it - and make it bigger and better than it would have been.

This is my longest story ever. 171 pages long in my typing program - somewhere around 98,000 words long. I'm proud of it, for sure. And happy to finally see it finished. I'm actually tearing up writing this final piece now - knowing that, once I publish this chapter, I'll be done with this work that's taken up a big part of my life.

So, once again, everyone who read and/or reviewed, this one's for you. Thank you for reading this. I hope you like the ending, and I hope that when I do finally write the sequel and occasional one-shots that go with this, you'll read those too.

Best wishes to you all -

~Knight-Dawn


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